March 29, 2024

Two Panther doubles teams advance to state

NORWALK — The Creston/O-M girls tennis team made history last year by sending a doubles team to state that won a match at the state tournament.

This year, the Panthers have doubled their chances of success at the state level, as two Creston/O-M doubles teams advanced to state by meeting in the regional finals Thursday at Norwalk High School.

Top-seeded Jenna Taylor and Alli Thomsen defeated unseeded teammates Caitlin McIlravy and Sydney Dunphy in the finals, 6-3, 6-2.

Creston’s four girls advancing to the Class 1A singles and doubles state competition June 4-5 in Ankeny tops the Hawkeye 10 Conference.

Red Oak’s Kate Walker was regional champion at home, and teammates Grace Blomstedt and Micayla Taylor won the regional doubles title there, downing Clarinda’s Kayla Rogers and Sarah Cabeen.

Denison-Schleswig’s Mara Pirscoveanu was the regional champion at Le Mars and will be joined by teammates Amber Hrabik and Jacque Ingram as a doubles entry at state, after finishing second.

Lewis Central’s Abby Bergsten will compete in the Class 2A state singles tournament at Iowa City after winning the regional at Urbandale.

At Norwalk, Taylor and Thomsen battled to a 6-4, 6-4 hard-fought semifinal win over the Ballard duo of Alex Petersen and Meredith Ossian. They allowed only two total points in four sets in the first two rounds.

“What an amazing day for Jenna and Alli,” coach Kevin Cooper said. “They came in and got the one seed, and they had to fight their way to state. The first round match was a tough draw, and their semifinals was tight the entire match. It was a tough situation to play their own teammates in the finals. It is great to have both groups there, but tough on the girls.”

McIlravy and Dunphy were involved in tight matches all the way through the tournament, after sailing 6-1, 6-0 in the first round. They battled to three-set victories in the second round and semifinals before falling to their top-seeded teammates.

“What a tournament for Caitlin and Sydney!” Cooper said. “For them to come in as an unseeded team and get all the way to the finals — that is amazing! They were in tough matches all day long, so that is a great experience for them moving forward this year and next year. They were put in a tough spot playing their own teammates in the finals, and just came up short.”

Competing in singles for the Panthers Thursday were Gracie Russell and Ann Waigand, with Russell winning her first-round match.

“Gracie had a good day in winning round one and losing in round to to the girl who ended up second place and going to state,” Cooper said. “Ann had the tough luck draw of the day by having to play the four seed in the first round. She started out strong with a lead in the first set, but struggled with a few consistency issues toward the end.”

With the program setting a record by sending two doubles teams to state, Cooper was obviously pleased with the day overall.

“Today I couldn’t be more proud of how the girls competed,” Cooper said. “We knew coming in that we had a great chance to get some kids through, but that it wasn’t going to be easy. This was a great day for the girls tennis program!”

The girls team competes in the regional finals dual meet against Ballard Saturday morning in Huxley, while the boys team faces Denison-Schleswig in substate team play at Carroll.

Doubles

Jenna Taylor-Alli Thomsen (Creston/O-M) def. Cora Hicks-Bailey Nichols (Kuemper Catholic), 6-1, 6-1; Taylor-Thomsen (Creston/O-M) def. Lauren Kjergard-Morgan Gust (Audubon), 6-0, 6-0; Semifinals — Taylor-Thomsen (Creston/O-M) def. Alex Petersen-Meredith Ossian (Ballard), 6-4, 6-4; Finals — Taylor-Thomsen (Creston/O-M) def. Caitlin McIlravy-Sydney Dunphy (Creston/O-M), 6-3, 6-2.

Caitlin McIlravy-Sydney Dunphy (Creston/O-M) def. Allison Stuley-NIcole Alexander (Norwalk), 6-1, 6-0; McIlravy-Dunphy (Creston/O-M) def. McIlravy-Dunphy (Creston/O-M) def. Mackenzie Carter-Melanie Gustafson (Saydel), 2-6, 6-4, 6-2; Semifinals — McIlravy-Dunphy (Creston/O-M) def. Rylee Cahill-Olivia Astnita (Ballard), 6-2, 4-6, 6-1; Finals — Taylor-Thomsen (Creston/O-M) def. Caitlin McIlravy-Sydney Dunphy (Creston/O-M), 6-3, 6-2.

Singles

Gracie Russell (Creston/O-M) def. Lexi Fredrickson (Audubon), 6-0, 6-2; Liz Nimmo (Norwalk) def. Gracie Russell (Creston/O-M), 6-1, 6-0.

Carly Madson (North Polk) def. Ann Waigand (Creston/O-M), 6-3, 6-1.