By Travis Smola
The Vicksburg varsity girls’ tennis team finished runner-up in the regional meet at Harper Creek, punching the team’s ticket to the state meet. Only three points separated the Bulldogs and eventual champion Harper Creek.
The team’s singles competitors shined at the event. Scarlett Hosner won the number two singles. She advanced through Battle Creek Pennfield 7-3, 7-6, then Harper Creek in the semi-final round. She took that match 6-1, 6-0, earning a spot in the finals against Coldwater, where she won 6-1, 6-1.
Maya Grossman had a first-round bye in the three singles before facing Marshall in round two. She advanced to the semi-finals 6-0, 6-0 before facing Edwardsburg in the championship. She took that matchup 6-0, 6-2 to earn the regional champion title.
In the number one singles, Gracie Breitenbach advanced to the semi-final over Three Rivers 6-0, 6-1, but fell to eventual champion Harper Creek in that round. Sadie Grossman had a similar route in the number four singles. She beat Niles 6-1, 6-0, before falling to the eventual champion Edwardsburg in the semi-final.
Clara Centofanti and Sydney Glerum fell to Niles in the number one doubles 6-3, 6-4. In the two doubles, Olivia Penney and Emma Vallier defeated Three Rivers 6-0, 6-1, before falling to Edwardsburg in the semi-finals. Isabelle Hahn and Jenna Schramer got to the final round in three doubles. They defeated Battle Creek Pennfield 6-0, 6-0, and Edwardsburg 6-3, 7-5. They faced Parma Western in the final, falling 7-5, 6-3.
The number four doubles team of Natalie Balkema and Bridget Webber defeated Marshall in round two 6-0, 6-0. They were eliminated by Edwardsburg in the semi-final round 6-4, 6-2.
Vicksburg’s excellent showing at Regionals came after they finished runner-up at the Wolverine Conference tournament. Maya Grossman earned the three singles Conference championship in that tournament. She defeated Three Rivers, Otsego, and Edwardsburg 6-1, 6-2. She was Wolverine Conference first-team All-Conference.
Hosner finished as Conference runner-up and 2nd Team All-Conference in two singles. Breitenbach earned Wolverine Conference Honorable Mention during her third-place finish in one singles. Sadie Grossman rounded out the singles competition with a runner-up in the tournament and second-team All-Conference.
Centofanti and Glerum finished second in the one-doubles and earned second-team All-Conference honors. Penney and Vallier earned an honorable mention and a third-place finish in two doubles.
In the three-doubles match, Hahn and Schramer earned an honorable mention on their way to third-place finish. Finally, Balkema and Webber finished fourth in the tournament.
The Bulldogs will have one final matchup at the state meet, scheduled May 31 and June 1. The one, two, and three singles will compete at Kalamazoo College, and the four singles and doubles teams will compete at Western Michigan.
