SALT LAKE CITY — The 6A girls state tennis tournament was expected to feel more like the Region 4 Invitational. With the majority of Utah’s top high school teams coming from northern Utah County, how can the rest of the state compete at this level?
Top-seeded Skyridge didn’t disappoint during first-day action at Liberty Park, and Region 4 mates Lone Peak and American Fork are right behind. However, Layton showed its Region 1 title was no fluke, and Region 3 power Bingham ended Thursday afternoon play feeling like it still had an outside chance.
“We’re halfway there. We had great matches and luck went our way. But the more prepared you are, the luckier you can get.” — Skyridge coach Lindsay Rawstorne
It won’t be easy, though, as Skyridge had all of its athletes advance to Saturday’s semifinals to earn 10 points. Lone Peak, the defending state champ, had nine, followed by American Fork and Bingham (6), Layton (5) and then Corner Canyon, Davis, Weber and West with four points each.
Skyridge coach Lindsay Rawstorne admitted the opening day went perfectly for his orange-clad group, and the many Falcon parents and fans who attended would likely agree.
“We’re halfway there,” Rawstorne said. “We had great matches and luck went our way. But the more prepared you are, the luckier you can get.”
So far, all Region 4 teams could say the same, though, as they rolled through the first round and had a 15-1 record in second-round matches.
“We were consistent, but all of the matches will be competitive Saturday,” Rawstorne said.
That’s because most will be familiar foes. In fact, 21 of the 28 girls still playing are from Region 4.
“There’s a lot of talent in that area (of Utah) and great facilities,” admitted Layton coach Carlene Kemp. “Most of our girls are seasonal players but with a lot of dedication.”
That was enough to put Layton among the top teams until late in the day.
Juliana Cooksey reached the semifinals in No. 2 singles and the Lancers’ two doubles teams (Baylee Coleman-Tess Christopulos and Megan Peterson-Molly Burnett) picked up points by winning in the first round, but then fell to Cassie and Holly Schmidt from Skyridge and the Lone Peak tandem of Claire Pitts and Lizzie Muir. Wins in those matches would have moved Layton into sole possession of second place.
Bingham might also be able to say something similar. Avery Pack had little trouble moving forward in No. 2 singles, and the team of Jacey Robins-Kaitlyn Oniki reached the semis in second doubles. Weber’s Jacque Dunyon also looked sharp in first singles. Each will face a Region 4 opponent Saturday, waiting to prove themselves in what is expected be the last day of mild weather conditions.
6A state tournament
At Liberty Park
Thursday’s results
Team scores
1. Skyridge, 10; 2. Lone Peak, 9; 3. American Fork, Bingham, 6; 5. Layton, 5; 6. Corner Canyon, Davis, Weber, West, 4.
First singles
First round
Mandie Robbins (Lone Peak) def. Eva Huber (Cyprus) 6-0, 6-0
Jacque Dunyon (Weber) def. Jaylee Margetts (Riverton) 6-0, 6-0
Riya Soneji (West) def. Linsey Austad (Clearfield) 6-1, 6-1
Annalise Schetselaar (American Fork) def. Lexie Huff (Taylorsville) 6-2, 6-1
Victoria Cooksey (Layton) def. Olivia Dabo (Bingham) 6-1, 6-4
Savannah Johnson (Skyridge) def. Regan Bolos (Fremont) 6-0, 6-0
Grace Weichers (Corner Canyon) def. Brooke Bentley (Granger) 6-1, 6-2
Kyra Spendlove (Davis) def. Mariali Romero (Herriman) 6-3, 6-3
Second round
Dunyon def. Robbins 6-2, 6-1
Soneji def. Schetselaar 6-3, 7-5
Johnson def. Cooksey 6-3, 7-6 (3)
Weichers def. Spendlove 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-2
Second singles
First round
Malia Bishop (American Fork) def. Masha Zaitsev (West) 6-4, 6-3
Elle Dunyon (Davis) def. Ellie DeGroote (Cyprus) 6-1, 6-3
Sydney Gardner (Lone Peak) def. Elle Yenah Park (Herriman) 6-0, 6-2
Abby Allen (Clearfield) def. Akilah Pham (Granger) 6-2, 6-0
Lucy Droubay (Skyridge) def. Alyssa Pfeiffer (West Jordan) 6-0, 6-0
Avery Pack (Bingham) def. Vanessa Harris (Fremont) 6-0, 6-0
Reagan Harrison (Weber) def. Jaqueline Maowbi (Taylorsville) 6-0, 6-0
Second round
Cooksey def. Bishop 6-0, 6-2
Gardner def. Dunyon 6-2, 6-0
Droubay def. Allen 6-1, 6-1
Pack def. Harrison 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
Third singles
First round
Anastasia Dunca (West) def. Paige Smith (Taylorsville) 6-0, 6-0
Jaya Cluff (Skyridge) def. Kaitlyn Jensen (Clearfield) 6-1, 6-0
Haley Erickson (Herriman) def. Aubrey Morrow (Fremont) 6-4, 6-3
Ashlyn Robbins (Riverton) def. Emma Vuckovic (Granger) 6-1, 6-1
Lauryn Brown (American Fork) def. Maddie Wilcox (Layton) 6-2, 6-0
Gracie Nichols (Weber) def. Tessa Condie (Hunter) 6-3, 6-3
Lexi Cox (Bingham) def. Mallory Collins (West Jordan) 6-1, 6-0
Mikayla Randall (Lone Peak) def. Ellie Henderson (Davis) 6-2, 6-0
Second round
Cluff def. Dunca 6-0, 6-0
Robbins def. Erickson 6-4, 6-4
Brown def. Nichols 6-1, 6-1
Randall def. Cox 6-3, 6-4
First doubles
First round
Claire Pitts/Lizzie Muir (Lone Peak) def. Kari Thompson/Sarah Jones (West Jordan) 6-0, 6-0
Baylee Coleman/Tess Christopulos (Layton) def. Savannah Derby/Addie Hansen (Riverton) 6-2, 7-5
Malia Hansen/Eliza Roberts (Bingham) def. Jenna Duryea/Alissa Austad (Clearfield) 6-2, 6-2
Payton Carroll/Kylee Sperry (Skyridge) def. Athena Lam/Brooklyn Lee (Taylorsville) 6-1, 6-0
Halle Durham/Megan Moody (Davis) def. Maggie Colton/Kaitlyn Sosa (Copper Hills) 6-4, 6-2
Macie Asmussen/Chloie Brinton (Pleasant Grove) def. Issy Crookston/Eliza Stewart (Weber) 6-0, 6-0
Cassidy Rich/Jane Dorny (Corner Canyon) def. Leia Jenkins/Shay McDaniel (Cyprus) 6-0, 6-1
Diya Rao/Daphne Liu (West) def. Alexa Mattson/Sydney Fisher (Fremont) 5-7, 6-4, 6-2
Quarterfinals
Pitts/Muir def. Coleman/Christopulos 4-6, 6-1, 6-3
Carroll/Sperry def. Hansen/Roberts 6-3, 6-1
Asmussen/Brinton def. Durham/Moody 6-0, 6-0
Rich/Dorny def. Rao/Liu 6-0, 6-0
Second doubles
First round
Ashley Cowie-Ally Murdoch (American Fork) def. Noa Taussky-Avelyn Kulsomphob (West) 6-2, 6-3
Ruby Russell/Olivia Leifson (Pleasant Grove) def. Rachael Brown/Anna Allen (Clearfield) 6-1, 6-4
Megan Petersen/Molly Burnett (Layton) def. Kenley Henson/Poerani Cheung (Cyprus) 6-3, 6-2
Cassie Schmidt/Holly Schmidt (Skyridge) def. Maggie Clayton/Kaycee Story (Copper Hills) 6-0, 6-4
Alivia Rasmussen/Brinley Johnson (Fremont) def. Adelaide Roberts/Nhu Trinh (Granger) 6-3, 6-0
Emma Reynolds/Allie Story (Lone Peak) def. Macy Dulgarian/Maegan Larsen (West Jordan) 6-0, 6-0
Jacey Robins/Kaitly Oniki (Bingham) def. Emma Zabriskie/Ashlee Jordan (Northridge) 6-3, 6-0
Brydie Sigg/Esmae King (Davis) def. Maelynn Torres/Logan Wareham (Taylorsville) 6-0, 6-1
Quarterfinals
Cowie/Murdoch def. Russell/Leifson 6-1, 7-5
Schmidt/Schmidt def. Peterson/Burnett 6-0, 6-3
Reynolds/Story def. Rasmussen/Johnson 6-3, 6-2
Robins/Oniki def. Sigg/King 6-3, 6-2.