Playing Grantsville is always tough, but we’re pretty excited about where we are, and we’ve come a long way in the three years that we’ve been coaching, so we’re pretty excited, and looking forward to the rematch. – Judge Memorial head coach Tracey Valentine
SALT LAKE CITY — After 40 matches were played on a beautiful Thursday afternoon at Liberty Park, two schools emerged as favorites to win the 3A state championship.
Judge Memorial leads after the first day of the 3A high school state tournament, scoring nine points, while Grantsville is right on the Bulldogs’ tails with eight points. Grantsville is striving to win its first state championship since 2003, while the Bulldogs are looking for their first title since 2012.
“Playing Grantsville is always tough, but we’re pretty excited about where we are, and we’ve come a long way in the three years that we’ve been coaching, so we’re pretty excited, and looking forward to the rematch (with Grantsville),” Judge Memorial head coach Tracey Valentine said.
Grantsville trails by just a point going into the second and final day of the 3A state tournament, and head coach Stephen Thurgood is optimistic for Saturday’s matches.
“Part of me is happy, part of me is not too happy. I expected our first singles to lose because Rowland Hall is so good, second doubles didn’t play as good as I thought they should have, but, that being said, it’s still a race to the finish line,” Thurgood said.
Both Judge and Grantsville turned in performances that were key to finishing Thursday in a battle for the top spot.
Judge Memorial won nine out of 10 matches, with Katherine MacPhail advancing to the first singles semifinals, Emily Rougelot advancing to the second singles semifinals, Anna Drossos and Olivia Anderson advancing to the first doubles semifinals and Ellie McCoy and Veronica Start advancing to the second doubles semifinals.
“I’m especially proud of our No. 1 doubles (Anna Drossos and Olivia Anderson), who pulled out some tough matches, out No. 2 doubles (Ellie McCoy and Veronica Start) got it done, our No. 2 singles player (Emily Rougelot) rocked it, actually, everybody did a great job today, we won nine out of ten matches,” Valentine said.
For Grantsville, Marissa Linares advanced to the second singles semifinals, Maci Jackson advanced to the third singles semifinals, and Paige Peterson and Lexi Carlson advanced to the first doubles semifinals.
“Third singles (Maci Jackson) impressed me because she played someone who played just like her, they just get the ball back, that’s the main thing — get the ball back,” Thurgood said. “She did good against someone who played like her. Second singles (Marissa Linares) played great too. First singles (Kayla Johnson) played a great match, but Katie Foley is just so good, I don’t think anyone’s going to touch her.”
As for what it will take for Judge Memorial to win state Saturday, Valentine said, “win them all.”
“We’ll just play our best, we’ll do what we always do, practice, we’ll come out with good attitudes and just do the best we can,” Valentine said.
3A State Tournament
Thursday’s results
First Singles
First round
Katie Foley, Rowland Hall def. Jamie Day, Grand, 6-0, 6-0
Kayla Johnson, Grantsville def. Emily Sanders, Delta, 6-2, 6-1
Katherine MacPhail, Judge def. Jordan Ross, Union, 6-0, 6-0
Sage Earl, Morgan def. Robyn Reese, Richfield, 6-2, 6-4
Katja Braden, Juab def. Daniela Messina, Layton Christian, 6-0, 6-0
Sophie Christensen, Waterford def. Jenifer Bailey, Manti, 6-0, 6-0
Clista Galeck, Wasatch Academy def. Jade Warren, San Juan, 7-5, 6-2
Hannah Ostraff, North Sanpete def. Jewelianna Nielsen, 6-2, 6-0.
Quarterfinals
Foley def. Johnson, 6-0, 6-0
MacPhail def. Earl, 6-2, 6-2
Christensen def. Braden, 6-1, 6-0
Ostraff def. Galeck, 6-2, 6-4
Second Singles
First round
BreAnna Swapp, North Sanpete def. Keylla Ortega, Maeser Prep, 6-0, 6-2
Tanisha Martheswaran, Waterford def. Emily Anderson, Delta, 6-1, 6-0
Emily Rougelot, Judge def. Shandyn Harris, Richfield, 6-3, 6-4
Mariah Law, Union def. Breckon Bradshaw, South Sevier, 6-0, 6-0
Marissa Linares, Grantsville, def. Kaylee Dyreng, Gunnison, 6-0, 6-0
Auri Squire, Manti def. Violette Truong, Rowland Hall, 6-4, 6-3
Lauren Hadley, Morgan def. Emma Kennedy, Wasatch Academy, 6-2, 6-1
Megan Welburn, Juab def. Kiersten Kimmerle, Grand 6-0, 6-0
Quarterfinals
Martheswaran def. Swapp, 6-0, 6-0
Rougelot def. Law, 6-4, 6-4
Linares def. Squire, 6-0, 6-0
Hadley def. Welburn, 6-0, 6-2
Third Singles
First Round
Maci Jackson, Grantsville def. Aubree Robinson, South Sevier, 6-0, 6-0
Sadie Cox, Manti def. Kaylen Lee, Maeser Prep, 6-0, 6-0
Kimberly Lebaron Delta def. Amanda Johansen, Emery, 6-0, 6-1
Taelyn Ballow, Juab def. Annie Kopell, Grand, 6-0, 6-0
Hayden Harris, Richfield def. Tala Shabib, Rowland Hall, 6-1, 6-1
Lyndee Miller, Union def. Scout Curtis, Morgan, 6-4, 6-1
Paige Anderson, Waterford def. Sunny Anderson, North Sanpete, 6-2, 6-1
Amy Robinson, Judge def. Winnie Li, Wasatch Academy, 6-1, 6-0
Quarterfinals
Jackson def. Cox, 6-4, 6-1
Ballow def. Lebaron, 6-4, 6-3
Harris def. Miller, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4
Anderson def. Robinson, 6-3, 6-4
First Doubles
First Round
Paige Peterson/Lexi Carlson, Grantsville def. Ashley Lowe/Janessa Stewart, South Sevier, 6-0, 6-0
Annie Joseph/Anna Yarema, St. Joseph def. Emma Echols/Marinda Everitt, Juab, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5
Selina Fawson/Taylor Polad, Morgan def. Savanna Price/Avery Stevens, Union, 6-4, 7-5
McKenna Nielsen/Nakiah Taylor, North Sanpete def. Huxley Ann Huefner/Paige Smaligo, North Sanpete, 6-2, 6-1
Sophie Jessee/Hollie Crosby, Wasatch Academy def. Madeline Keil/Sofia Espinosa, Rowland Hall, 6-0, 6-1
Anna Drossos/Olivia Anderson, Judge def. Kiana Pittman/Reagan Sitterud, Emery, 6-0, 6-2
Katherine Harmston/Miranda Warren, Manti def. Jaymee Carter/Kaitlyn Tolbert, Delta, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6, (3)
Kristen Mogan/Audrey Thalman, Richfield def. Gaby Lambourne/Samantha Barlow, Providence, 6-0, 6-1
Quarterfinals
Peterson/Carlson def. Joseph/Yarema, 6-1, 6-2
Nielsen/Taylor def. Fawson/Polad, 6-6, 6-4
Drossos/Anderson def. Jessee/Crosby, 2-6, 6-2, 6-2
Mogan/Thalman def. Harmston/Warren, 7-5, 6-2
Second Doubles
First Round
Kristen Crowther/Ellie Hair, Richfield def. Makayla Bennion/Sabrina Bentley, Providence, 6-1, 6-2
Brooklyn Butler/Brynlee Butler, Grantsville def. Tenzen Norzom/Raica Kwizera, Wasatch Academy, 6-0, 6-2
Whitney Dyreng/Alexis Naylor, Manti def. Taylor Schmidt/Beth Hammond, Waterford, 6-2, 6-1
Jessica Willmore/Keana Williams, Juab def. Macie Nelson/Jordynn Wolford, Emery, 6-3, 6-1
Ellie McCoy/Veronica Start, Judge def. Ruth Lyons/Katlynd Leatherwood, Gunnison, 6-2, 6-2
Laney Gillins/Alexis Hammond, North Sanpete def. Grayson King/Kajal Ganesh, Rowland Hall, 6-3, 6-1
Erin Bartol/Ashley McMillan, Morgan def. Tacee Miller/Brinley Gadd, Union, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
Hallie Ewart/Katey Tolbert, Delta def. Maara Holyoak/Kyla Jackman, Grand 3-6, 6-4, 6-0
Quarterfinals
Crowther/Hair def. Butler/Butler, 6-3, 6-2
Dyreng/Naylor def. Willmore/Williams, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5
McCoy/Start def. Gillins/Hammond, 6-2, 6-4
Bartol/McMillin def. Ewart/Tolbert, 6-0, 6-3