SALT LAKE CITY — Only three points separate the top three teams at the 4A girls tennis tournament. Olympus, Skyline and Maple Mountain all have a serious shot at the championship following the opening day of the meet on Thursday.
“The first day seems tougher to me sometimes because you want to see all the girls win,” Olympus coach Kevin Watts said. “Our girls just played their hearts out. It was wonderful.”
Watts' team has placed itself in a great position to repeat as the 4A champion. The Titans sit at the top of the leaderboard with nine team points. Just trialing by a single point is Skyline, while Maple Mountain rounds out the three-team logjam with six points.
For Skyline, being near the top is a somewhat unfamiliar position. In 2014 the school managed to only put up six points throughout the entire tournament. This year the Eagles have advanced all of their positions except one, first doubles.
“I don’t know if this has ever happened since I’ve been coaching, four years, that we would have four teams in the semifinals,” Skyline coach Heidi Schmauch said.
The Titans are in the same boat except their first singles player, senior McKenna Lloyd, lost to the 2014 champion, senior Hannah Jones from Bonneville. Maple Mountain is at a disadvantage as only its third singles player, junior Abby Crandall, advanced to the semifinals.
Watts says the doubles teams will play the most important role when it comes to winning a state title.
“You can lose in the No. 1 singles ranking but your doubles teams contribute the same number on points,” Watts said. “For me the doubles is critical. We’re lucky to make it through with two doubles.”
The Eagles’ first singles player, junior Veronika Polokova, is very capable of earning all four points in the last two rounds.
“If she plays her best tennis, she’ll win,” Schmauch said. “She hits hard no matter what, that’s how she plays.”
Polokova will look to make it to the finals and dethrone Jones as the singles champion.
There are three schools that are tied in fourth place with five points. Bountiful, Timpview and Woods Cross all sit four points behind Olympus.
4A
Thursday
Round 1
1st Singles
Megan Austin, Timpview, def. Katherine MacPhail, Judge Memorial, 6-3, 6-1; Emma Templeman, Springville, def. Isa Huhane, Highland, 6-0, 6-4; Hannah Jones, Bonneville, def. Madi Wanner, Salem Hills, 6-0, 6-0; McKenna Lloyd, Olympus, def. Paola Garcia, Mountain View, 6-0, 6-1; Chloe Stocking, Bountiful, def. Alisun Vehar, Spanish Fork, 6-1, 6-0; Veronika Polokova, Skyline, def. Sailor Magness, Orem, 6-2, 6-0; Emilee Astle, Alta, def. Jessica Rimmasch, Hilcrest, 6-1, 6-0; CarolineHickey, Maple Mountain, def. EmmieKate Leishman, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.
2nd Singles
Jamie Faux, Timpview, def. Kelsey Corfield, Springville, 6-0, 6-3; Kassidee Geurtz, Bountiful, def. Jocelynn Truman, Hillcrest, 6-0, 6-4; Anna Findley, Skyline, def. Etianne Johnson, Woods Cross, 6-2, 6-0; Amanda Ith, Salem Hills, def. Aspen Jones, Orem, 7-5, 6-4; Savannah Frank, Murray, def. Alyse Nielsen, Bonneville, 6-3, 6-3; Raili Jenkins, Corner Canyon, def. Sydney DeGraw, Payson, 6-0, 6-1; Emma Harlan, Maple Mountain, def. Kennedie Walker, Mountain View, 6-2, 6-0; Sabrina Longson, Olympus, def. Vici Barrera, Ogden, 6-2, 6-1.
3rd Singles
Phoebe Little, Skyline, def. Megan Vehar, Spanish Fork, 6-0, 6-1; Emma Santiago, Orem, def. Julie Cutler, East, 6-2, 6-2; Natalie Eyring, Bountiful, def. Kennedie Blaser, Corner Canyon, 6-2, 6-1; Sadie Stratford, Woods Cross, def. Hailee Horton, Alta, 6-4, 6-2; Abby Crandall, Maple Mountain, def. Sarah Lewan, Judge Memorial, 6-2, 6-0; Emma Jewell, Olympus, def. Isabel Brockbank, 6-0, 6-0; Grace Larsen, Timpview, def. Aubree Allen, Bonneville, 6-2, 6-1.
1st Doubles
Callie Forsyth & Tattum Chiniquy, Orem, def. Jackie Lopez & Caroline Young, Hillcrest, 7-6, 6-0; Sydney Quinton & Mallory Neuberger, Wasatch, def. Elizabeth Miller & Emma Whittle, East, 6-0, 6-3; Anni Johnson & Sarah Crandall, Woods Cross, def. Ali Damon & Tessa Christensen, Spanish Fork, 6-3, 6-2; Haillie McKell & Shay Spencer, Mountain View, def. Marie Burnett & Annabelle Peterson, Skyline, 7-6, 2-6, 7-5; KC Rose & Hattie Roney, Maple Mountain, def. Kaylee Odom & Mady Evans, Bountiful, 6-3, 6-1; Zaylie Collin & Elly Lloyd, Olympus, def. Rachel Gougg & Annie Lee, Timpview, 6-0, 6-0; Addie Sepuldveda & Lexi Reden, Corner Canyon, def. Mia Chase & Emily Rougelot, 6-1, 6-0; Olivia Park & Mary Fredrickson, Springville, def. Cass Howard & Talia Corcorcan, Ogden, 6-0, 6-0.
2nd Doubles
Chico Booth & Alli Brinton, Spanish Fork, def. Maddy Dean & Savanah Sherwood, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4; Makaela Adamson & Gabby Todd, Woods Cross, def. Abby Laver & Abby Mitchell, Murray, 6-1, 6-3; Mia Nebeker & Kate Longson, Olympus, def. Babrielle Reid & Kenlee East, Ogden, 6-1, 6-1; Kaylee Whiting & Madi Munro, Maple Mountain, def. Libby Oldroyd & Leisel Faux, Timpview, 5-7, 6-2, 6-2; Abby Messick & Alexsandra Harris, Bountiful, def. Sarah Beth Anderson & Veronica Start, Judge Memorial, 7-5, 6-2; Devri Deucher & Madeline Black, Orem, def. Rachel Peterson & Ashtyn Jones, Uintah, 6-1, 6-0; Allyson Smith & Sarah Skinner, Springville, def. Tyla Hunter & Kate Hall, Provo, 6-2, 6-2; Carley Williams & Hayley Boddington, Skyline, def. Megan Grant & Kat Schuman, East, 6-1, 6-2.
Quarterfinals
1st Singles
Megan Austin, Timpview, def. Emma Templeman, Springville, 7-6, 6-4; Hannah Jones, Bonneville, def. McKenna Lloyd, Olympus, 6-1, 6-2; Veronika Polovoa, Skyline, def. Chloe Stocking, Bountiful, 6-3, 6-0; Emilee Astle, Alta, def. Caroline Hickey, Maple Mountain, 6-0, 6-1.
2nd Singles
Jamie Faux, Timpview, def. Kassidee Geurtz, Bountiful, 6-1, 6-1; Anna Findley, Skyline, def. Amanda Ith, Salem Hills, 6-2, 6-0; Savannah Frank, Murray, def. Raili Jenkins, Corner Canyon, 7-5, 5-7, 6-4; Sabrina Longson, Olympus, def. Emma Harlan, Maple Mountain, 6-1, 6-2.
3rd Singles
Phoebe Little, Skyline, def. Emma Santiago, Orem, 3-6, 6-1, 6-1; Natalie Eyring, Bountiful, def. Loren Gilland, Springville, 6-1, 6-1; Abby Crandall, Maple Mountain, def. Sadie Stratford, Woods Cross, 6-2, 1-6, 6-2; Emma Jewell, Olympus, def. Grace Larsen, Timpview, 6-0, 6-0.
1st Doubles
Sydney & Mallory Neuberger, Wasatch, def. Callie Forsyth & Tatum Shiniquy, Orem, 6-3, 7-6; Anni Johnson & Sarah Crandall, Wood Cross, def. Hailli McKell & Shae Spencer, Mountain View, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4; Zaylie Collins & Elly Lloyd, Olympus, def. KC Rose & Hattie Roney, Maple Mountain, 6-0, 7-5; Addie Sepuldveda & Lexi Reden, Corner Canyon, def. Olivia Park & Mary Fredrickson, Springville, 6-3, 6-3.
2nd Doubles
Makaela Adamson & Gabby Todd, Woods Cross, def. Chico Booth & Alli Brinton, Spanish Fork, 6-2, 7-5; Mia Nebeker & Kate Longson, Olympus, def. Kaylee Whiting & Madi Munro, Maple Mountain, 6-3, 6-4; Devri Deucher & Madeline Black, Orem, def. Abby Messick & Alexsandra Harris, Bountiful, 3-6, 7-5, 6-2; Carley Williams & Hayley Boddington, Skyline, def. Allyson Smith & Sarah Skinner, Springville, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.