SALT LAKE CITY — Saturday was a special day in Morgan as it welcomed some celebrities to town.
A few hours after the Trojans won the first 3A tennis state championship in school history, the girls were given instructions to return home but stop eight miles away at a rest area alongside Interstate 84, where the county fire truck was to be waiting to escort them the rest of the way home to celebrate.
“I guess we just peaked at the right time. We’re in a state of happiness and now we get to celebrate.” — Morgan coach Katherine Hadley
“It’s a new experience, for sure,” said Morgan coach Katherine Hadley. “But the girls deserved it.”
The 21-player Trojan squad rode Ashley McMillan and Erin Bartol’s championships in singles play to accumulate 15 points. Judge Memorial and Waterford finished with nine each, followed by American Heritage, Juab and Manti with eight.
Once singles play ended, Hadley knew Morgan had enough points to take home the first-place trophy, but it wasn’t until the scores were double- and triple-checked that arrangements could be made.
“We didn’t want to count them up (too early) and jinx us,” Hadley said. “We had a cool second day.”
After it was official, the Trojans were happy to show their excitement and also set a record for most photographs with the trophy after losing to Judge at the state tournament last year, and then they were beaten by the Bulldogs in a close match earlier this season and again at region.
“I guess we just peaked at the right time,” Hadley said. “We’re in a state of happiness and now we get to celebrate.”
Judge and Morgan were tied after the first day, but Morgan had an advantage by sending all three of its singles players into the semifinals and then McMillan won a three-set thriller over Manti’s JoLee Gillett in the semis, and then cruised in the final.
Naomi Noot of American Heritage was the No. 1 singles champion. She finished the season undefeated and likely earned the first title in the first-year school’s history.
The teams of Brynlee Butler/Hailee Johnson of Grantsville and Caroline Applegate/Madeline Frazier from Rowland Hall captured the doubles titles.
3A girls state tennis tournament
At Liberty Park
Team scores
1. Morgan, 15; 2 (tie), Judge Memorial, Waterford, 9; 4 (tie). American Heritage, Juab, Manti, 8; 7. Richfield, 7; 8. Rowland Hall, 6.
Individual Results
First singles
Semifinals
Sadie Cox (Manti) def. Jessie Bills (Juab) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
Naomi Noot (American Heritage) def. Katelyn Steel (Morgan) 6-1, 6-1
Finals
Noot def. Cox 6-2, 6-1
Second singles
Semifinals
Paige Smaligo (Waterford) def. Hannah Gose (Judge) 6-1, 2-6, 6-4
Ashley McMillan (Morgan) def. JoLee Gillett (Manti) 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
Finals
McMillan def. Smaligo 6-3, 6-0
Third singles
Semifinals
Erin Bartol (Morgan) def. Olivia Foster (Juab) 6-4, 6-4
Aria Handlon (Judge) def. Kyla Jackman (Grand) 2-6, 6-2, 6-4
Finals
Bartol def. Handlon 6-1, 6-3
First doubles
Semifinals
Brynlee Butler/Hailee Johnson (Grantsville) def. Isabel Hammond/Lauren Forkner (Waterford) 6-1, 6-0
Kaylee Dyring/Berkley Peterson (Gunnison) def. Alysa Gribben/Isabella Valles (Judge) 6-0, 6-0
Finals
Butler/Johnson def. Dyring/Peterson 4-6, 6-1, 6-0.
Second doubles
Semifinals
Karsyn Harris/Aubrei Jorgensen (Richfield) def. Siya Pandit/Delaney Huefner (Waterford) 6-2, 6-4
Caroline Applegate/Madeline Frazier (Rowland Hall) def. Madison Webster/Kathryn Welburn (Juab) 5-7, 6-4, 6-4
Finals
Applegate/Frazier def. Harris/Jorgensen 6-3, 6-2