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ATLANTIC — The Creston girls tennis team fell Saturday in Class 1A - Region 2 First Round singles action to Hawkeye 10 girls tennis tournament champion Kuemper Catholic 5-0, at Sunnyside Park. The Panthers finish their season 3-6 overall, while Kuemper Catholic improves to 14-2 overall.
“Today ends our Girls tennis season with the loss to Kuemper Catholic,” head coach Kevin Cooper said. “Congratulations to them as they continue on in the postseason. They were one of the best teams we have faced this year and if they play well they could go on to be a State Team Qualifier.”
Senior Morgan Driskell, the No. 1 for Creston, gave the Knights their toughest fight on Saturday with five game wins against Kuemper Catholic’s No. 1, Samantha Tidgren. Tidgren defeated Driskell in straight sets.
“For some of our girls it was their last match of their careers and for others they have a year or two left,” Cooper said. “We are thankful for all of those kids leaving our program and look forward to coaching those who will be back.”
Other Panthers results include Halle Evans who won three games against Alyssa Brant, Caitlin Bruce who had a game win in each set and Jenny Li who won a game in the second set.
Scores No. 1 – Samantha Tidgren (KUEMP) def. Morgan Driskell (CREST), 6-2, 6-3 No. 2 – Alyssa Brant (KUEMP) def. Halle Evans (CREST), 6-1, 6-2 No. 3 – Jordan Schwabe (KEUMP) def. Caitlin Bruce (CREST), 6-1, 6-1 No. 4 – Sophie Rohe(KEUMP) def. Josie Mahan (CREST), 6-0, 6-0 No. 5 – Ella Schwarte(KEUMP) def. Jenny Li (CREST), 6-0, 6-1
Region 3 Championships
SHENANDOAH — Members of the girls tennis team traveled to Shenandoah on Wednesday to try to individually qualify for the state tournament. Creston picked up a match win in the singles and the doubles before being defeated by their next respective opponent.
The duo of Morgan Driskell-Halle Evans swept Chariton’s Christina Pyatak-Delaney Caudill 6-0, 6-1 and Caitlin Bruce beat Southwest Valley Timberwolf Alana Drake 6-3, 6-0.
“Our goal every year is to qualify for the State Individual Tennis Tournament,” Cooper said. “This year we came up short of that goal. Today we lost to three seeded teams and that is the way it works sometimes. This tournament setting was a great experience for our young kids.”
Boys end season at district
Braeton Rinner’s sweep of Clarke’s Cole McCann, 6-2, 6-0, was the boys only victory on May 9. Rinner’s next opponent, Ben Batten of Glenwood, swept him 6-1, 6-2.
“Today was a tough way to end our 2022 season,” Cooper said. “While we saw improvement today from some of our players, it wasn’t enough to extend our season.”
Other participating Panthers include Conner Wiley, who lost to Ballard Bomber Grant Anderson 6-2, 6-0.
In doubles play Carson Cooper-Lucas Rushing lost to Luke Baker-Grant Barr of Clarinda 6-2, 6-0 and seniors Avery Fuller-Luke Tebbenkamp lost to Kayden Anderson-Brody Taylor of Glenwood.
“Hopefully our young players can build on the experience they gained this year and improve even more for next year,” Cooper said.