Heartland's tourney good practice for state
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By RON POWELL / Lincoln Journal Star
The Heartland Conference girls tennis tournament Monday at Woods Tennis Center was a close simulation to what lies ahead for those eight teams Thursday and Friday at the Class A state tournament.
The matches, at least in the championship bracket, were best-of-three sets like state, not the eight-game pro sets generally played during the regular season. And the strong south wind Monday was certainly reminiscent of the gales that regularly blow through Omaha’s Koch Family Tennis Center, the site of the Class A tournament.
Since the meet was rained out Saturday and rescheduled for Monday, none of the conference results were included in the state tournament seeding, which was done Monday morning. With the coaches already having the state tournament seeds and draws in hand during the Heartland meet, it made for an interesting day.
SITES
Class A: Koch Family Tennis Center, Omaha.
Class B: Nebraska Tennis Center, Lincoln.
SCHEDULE
Thursday: First round begins at 8 a.m.
Friday: Semifinals at 9 a.m. followed by consolation matches. Finals at 1 p.m.
CLASS A SEEDS
No. 1 singles: 1. Brooke Urzendowski, Omaha Marian (25-0); 2. Karma-Jaya Parbhu, Millard North (19-2); 3. Alexandra Schelble, Millard West (22-6); 4. Alexandria Tran, Omaha Central (10-2); 5. Lindsay Weideman, Omaha Burke (16-7); 6. McRae Bell, Lincoln Southwest (16-7); 7. Lauren Higgins, Omaha Westside (11-8); 8. Stephanie Mannix, Lincoln East (18-6).
No. 2 singles: 1. Michaela Burroughs, Millard North (18-3); 2. Diana Dobey, Millard West (18-10); 3. Alison Slosburg, Omaha Westside (18-4); 4. MaryPat Beaufait, Omaha Marian (18-3); 5. Brigette Root, Grand Island (19-2); 6. Micah Goodwin, North Platte (23-7); 7. Ashley Meyers, Columbus (12-5); 8. Caitlin Christy, Bellevue West (13-6).
No. 1 doubles: 1. Anna Kirshenbaum-Kathleen Schuele, Omaha Marian (20-0); 2. Breanna Keller-Lauren Keller, Omaha Westside (21-3); 3. Karlee Long-Julia Otte, Lincoln Southeast (12-3); 4. Sharon Zach-Alicia Wheeler, Grand Island (16-3); 5. Erica Dickmeyer-Halie Wewel, Fremont (13-6); 6. Ashley Janssen-Kinsley Fisher, Lincoln Southwest (19-5); 7. Samantha Kenik-Carly Pohlman, Millard South (8-8); 8. Karoline Hovorka-Elizabeth Mason, Millard West (19-7).
No. 2 doubles: 1. Caroline Nelsen-Kara Schuele, Omaha Marian (18-0); 2. Ashley Wiedel-Jenna Helleberg, Grand Island (13-2); 3. Megan Robertson-Jessica Spalding, Fremont (17-2); 4. Michelle Major-Tiffany Gerdes, Omaha Westside (13-4); 5. Sally Ingham-Kylie Klockenga, Lincoln Southwest (18-4); 6. Claire Seger-Kelsey Bigando, Omaha Burke (15-8); 7. Rebecca Dailey-Myhiah Dotzler, Bellevue West (9-3); 8. Sarah Pieper-Meredith Starr, Millard West (14-9).
CLASS B SEEDS
No. 1 singles: 1. Mary Lausten, Omaha Skutt (20-3); 2. Uma Ravipati, Omaha Duchesne (17-2); 3. Heather Hottman, Elkhorn (26-5); 4. Bronwyn Allmand, Holdrege (28-8); 5. Lindsey Colburn, Adams Central (20-8); 6. Kelsey Ondrak, Lexington (30-6); 7. Brianna Watkins, McCook (24-19); 8. Katelyn Koll, Wilber-Clatonia (17-7).
No. 2 singles: 1. Alexis Kaiser, Omaha Skutt (22-1); 2. Catherine Tran, Omaha Duchesne (15-2); 3. Jessica Hottman, Elkhorn (28-3); 4. Terah Maloley, Lexington (38-1); 5. Alexa Hoffman, Adams Central (19-7); 6. Margaret Abbott, Ogallala (9-1); 7. Hanah Swanhorst, McCook (28-15); 8. Kiran Hamik, Grand Island CC (14-6).
No. 1 doubles: 1. Mallory Johnsen-Jamie Gay, Beatrice (17-0); 2. Hannah Bolton-Jessica Wojcik, Grand Island CC (18-1); 3. Nickola Messbarger-Molly Heeney, Kearney Catholic (19-4); 4. Melissa Lyster-Amy Lester, McCook (40-30); 5. Christine Bolas-Julianne Kincaid, Omaha Skutt (16-3); 6. Mary Dunlay-Shannon O’Byrne, Omaha Duchesne (11-5); 7. Michaela Fischer-Teagan Beck, York (21-9); 8. Kelsi Broekemeier-Katie Broekemeier, Elkhorn (19-9).
No. 2 doubles: 1. Amber Engler-Daleigh Fossler, Beatrice (12-0); 2. Ashley Chalupa-Jessica Bender, Grand Island CC (18-1); 3. Ellen Baldwin-Janna Montgomery, Kearney Catholic (24-6); 4. Jennifer Engel-Kate Webb, Omaha Duchesne (14-0); 5. Cody Korus-Amy Been, McCook (36-7); 6. Allison Nedrig-Danielle Clayton, Holdrege (14-7); 7. Jessica Hare-Megan Dimmitt, Alliance (13-6); 8. Marie Krause-Margaret Carmody, Omaha Skutt (9-1).
“Playing today means we (the tennis team) only have to go to school two days this week,” said a smiling McRae Bell of Lincoln Southwest, whose 6-4, 6-1 victory in the No. 1 singles final over Lincoln East’s Stephanie Mannix secured the team title for her school.
“This was good practice for state, playing best-of-three (sets) and doing it in the wind,” added Bell, a junior who brings a 19-7 record into state. “It was kind of a long day, but it was good.’’
The state tournament seeds held up well for the most part in the conference tournament. Bell is seeded sixth at No. 1 singles, while Mannix is No. 8.
In the No. 1 doubles final, the Lincoln Southeast duo of Karlee Long and Julia Otte (seeded third at state) defeated Grand Island’s Sharon Zach and Alicia Wheeler (the fourth seed) 6-4, 6-1 to improve to 15-3 this spring. But in the third-place match, Southwest’s Ashley Janssen and Kinsley Fisher, seeded sixth at state, toppled fifth seed Erica Dickmeyer and Halie Wewel of Fremont, 8-6.
Grand Island, second behind Southwest in the team race by a 25-24 margin, swept the No. 2 divisions. Future Nebraska volleyball player Brigette Root (22-2), the fifth seed at state, shut out Southwest’s Ellie Clinch in the finals 6-0, 6-0. Root owns wins this spring over state third seed Alison Slosburg of Omaha Westside and fourth seed MaryPat Beaufait of Omaha Marian.
At No. 2 doubles, the second seeds at state, Ashley Wiedel and Jenna Helleberg of Grand Island, rolled past the No. 3 seeds at state, Fremont’s Jessica Spalding and Megan Robertson, 6-1, 6-3 in the finals.
Long and Otte were Southeast’s top two singles players a year ago, and Long was playing No. 1 singles earlier in the season when Southeast coach Tim Tidball put them together at No. 1 doubles. So far, the move has worked out well.
“We played doubles together in all of our duals last year and did really well,” Long said. “I was excited to play doubles when he (Tidball) asked me. It takes a lot of stress off.’’
While Bell’s No. 1 singles gold medal clinched the Silver Hawks’ team title, third-place finishes by Janssen and Fisher at No. 1 doubles and the No. 2 doubles combination of Sally Ingham and Kylie Klockenga (fifth seeds at state) put Southwest in position.
“They both bounced back after tough losses in the semifinals, and that was huge for us,” Southwest coach Denny Hershberger said. “This was great preparation for what we’ll see Thursday and Friday (at state).’’
Reach Ron Powell at 473-7437 or rpowell@journalstar.com.
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