By Travis Smola
The Vicksburg varsity girls’ tennis managed finished second in their annual Pink Invitational tournament and third in Regionals to wrap up their season.
In the Pink Invitational, Gracie Breitenbach and Scarlett Hosner took first place in the number one and two singles. Karsen Brown took second in the number three singles and Anna Meschke took third in the number four singles. In doubles action, Sydney Glerum and Sadie Grossman finished second in the number one doubles to Paw Paw. Alyssa Kaye and Clare Wilson also took second in the number two doubles. Clara and Savina Centofanti finished third in the number three doubles. Natalie Balkema and Avery Sands also picked up the win in four doubles.
The Bulldogs did well at a tri-meet near the end of April, defeating Paw Paw 7-1 and Niles 6-2. They followed that up with an 8-0 sweep of Coldwater a few days later. But the team faced some tough competition from Conference foes like Edwardsburg and Three Rivers further down the stretch. The Eddies swept the Bulldogs in the early part of May. The team was defeated by Three Rivers in their next matchup 6-2 and they tied with Plainwell after that.
In the Regional round, Breitenbach had a bye in the first round of the singles tournament. She won her round two match against Battle Creek Pennfield 6-3, 6-1, but fell to a Parma Western opponent in the semifinal 6-3, 6-4. Scarlett Hosner also got to the semifinal round in the number two singles. She also had a bye in round one before defeating her opponent from Charlotte 6-0, 6-2. She faced top seed Edwardsburg in the semi-final where she lost 6-2, 6-0.
In three singles, Brown won her first-round match against Niles 6-4, 6-2 but came up against the number two seed from Battle Creek Pennfield in round two where she was defeated 6-1, 6-0. Anna Meschke had a first round bye before winning her second round match against Eaton Rapids 6-1, 6-0. She also lost in the semi-final against eventual champion Parma Western 6-2, 6-2.
In doubles action, Glerum and Grossman had a bye in round one but lost in round two to Eaton Rapids in a battle 6-2, 3-6, 6-1. In two doubles, Wilson and Kaye won round one against Battle Creek Pennfield 6-1, 6-3 before falling to Niles 6-0, 6-2 in round two. Clara and Savina Centofanti made it to the semi-final round. They had a bye in round one before defeating Marshall 6-1, 2-6, 6-3. They lost in the semifinal to eventual champion Parma Western 6-1, 6-0. Finally, in the number four doubles, Sands and Balkema had a bye in round one before winning round two against Battle Creek Pennfield 6-0, 6-0. They came up against Edwardsburg in the semifinals where they lost 6-0, 6-3.
Head Coach Warner Offord was also named Regional 3-18 coach of the year in 2022 to wrap up the
season for the Bulldogs.