Creston’s Frey medals in singles

WATERLOO — Creston senior Maddie Frey battled through an injury in placing eighth in Class 1A singles at the Girls State Tennis Tournament at Byrnes Tennis Center Wednesday and Thursday.

Frey became the school’s first state medal winner since 2016.

Also at state for Creston was the doubles team of junior Morgan Driskell and senior Sam Dunphy, eliminated in a competitive 6-4, 6-3 match in consolation play Wednesday after falling in the first round to the eventual state champion duo from Cedar Rapids Xavier.

Frey wasn’t even sure if she would be able to play on the second day, after suffering a sprained ankle before the final two points of her 6-0, 6-2 consolation victory over Victoria Schwarting of Osage on Wednesday. Earlier that day, Frey was defeated by sixth-place finisher Catherine Strauss of Spirit Lake-Okoboji and rebounded to shut out Kayla Kellogg of Charles City, 6-0, 6-0.

As she was winding up her second victory and assuring herself of a state medal, Frey stepped into a dropoff of elevation on the court near the fence at the rear of her court, twisting her ankle in the process.

“I went to get a deep ball and twisted by ankle,” Frey said. “Luckily, the other girl hit out once and hit into the net the other time. I honestly didn’t even think I would be able to play today, so it was a blessing that I was able to. It hurt a little, but not terrible.”

Showing more mobility in her seventh-place match Thursday afternoon than in her morning opener, Frey was in position to avenge a regular season loss to Boone’s Kinsie Zinnel. In the dual meet held in Creston, when Zinnel won 8-2.

On Thursday, Frey won the opening set, 6-2, and had double match point leading 40-15 in a game that would have given her the set, 7-5, to clinch the win for seventh place. But, Zinnel came back to take the game and force a tiebreaker at 6-6. Zinnel won that tiebreaker, 7-2, and then captured the 10-point super tiebreaker used for the third set in consolation play, 10-3.

“The hardest thing in tennis or any sport is that finishing point,” Creston coach Kevin Cooper said. “When the Boone girl forced the tiebreaker after Maddie had double match point, you could see the renewed energy in her body language. At the state tournament there is such a fine line between putting it away and losing that momentum.”

Cooper said he was proud of Frey’s season and saw her grit and determination to come back and play Thursday after assuring herself of a medal with the two wins Wednesday, before having to play with the ankle injury.

“The only people Maddie lost to all year were state qualifiers, and she won a 3 1/2 hour match at districts just to get to state,” Cooper said. “She has an inner competitive drive and her game is all about consistency. That was working out for her well when Kinsie was making some unforced errors in the first set this afternoon. Then she started hitting more winners with less errors when she got the momentum away from Maddie.”

Frey, who plans to play volleyball at Southwestern Community College next fall, finished her senior season with a 27-6 singles record. She was also part of a 9-3 record at No. 2 doubles with senior Karly Calvin.

Cooper said the doubles team of Driskell and Dunphy lacked enough consistency in their second match to advance in a competitive situation.

“They struggled a little in serving and at the net, and if you’re struggling at all here things can happen fast,” Cooper said. “But I was proud of them for getting through districts and making it to state. When they are clicking, they are so athletic that they can really play well. After losing twice and not placing at the Hawkeye Ten Tournament, they came back the next day and won easily over the Boone doubles team that included Kinsie (Zinnel), and they played well at districts. It was great that they got to play at state. This is the first time in five years that we’ve brought anybody here.”

Class 1A singles

First round — Catherine Strauss, Spirit Lake-Okoboji, def. Maddie Frey, Creston, 6-0, 6-2.

First round consolation — Frey, Creston, def. Kayla Kellogg, Charles City, 6-0, 6-0.

Second round consolation — Frey, Creston, def. Victoria Schwarting, Osage, 6-0, 6-2.

Consolation semifinals — Brenna Phillips, Waterloo Columbus Catholic, def. Frey, Creston, 6-3, 6-4.

Seventh place — Kinsie Zinnel, Boone, def. Frey, Creston, 2-6, 7-6 (7-2 tiebreaker), 1-0 (10-3 tiebreaker).

Class 1A doubles

First round — Ally Burger-Courtney Carstensen, Cedar Rapids Xavier, def. Morgan Driskell-Sam Dunphy, Creston, 6-0, 6-1.

First round consolation — Elli Hanson-Sophia Butler, Spirit Lake-Okoboji, def. Driskell-Dunphy, Creston, 6-4, 6-3.