SALT LAKE CITY – The second day at the 3A State Tournament turned out to be a rough one for the tennis stars from southern Utah at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City Friday.
First singles hopeful and Region 9 champion Hattie Erekson from Pine View was knocked out in the semifinals by eventual state champion Naya Tillit from Ridgeline. Meanwhile, Desert Hills had hopes to contend for the state team title, but went 1-4 in five matches, including three losses in the semifinals Friday morning.
The only win of the day by Region 9 competitors came at 1st doubles, where DH’s Alani Plumb and Allie Beck defeated Carli Christensen and Kayla Johnson of Grantsville 6-4, 6-4. But the duo of Plumb and Beck saw their state championship hopes dashed in the finals match against Julianna Signor and Brooklyn Thompson of Park City. Plumb and Beck won the first set 6-4, and led 4-2 in the second set. But Signor and Thompson rallied to take the second set 6-4 and then dominated the third set 6-2 to take the 1st doubles state title.
Park City had state finalists in all five categories and the Miners crowned champions in 2nd singles (Gabby Rockwood), 3rd singles (Taylor Matz), and 1st doubles (Signor and Thompson).
Park City finished with 26 team points, far outdistancing Tillit’s Ridgeline squad, which was second with 13 points. Desert Hills settled for third with 11 points.
The Pine View senior Erekson fell quickly to Tillit, 6-1, 6-1. The Ridgeline star then beat Park City’s Livi Rockwood 4-6, 6-0, 6-0 win the championship at 1st singles. Tillit is just a freshman and Rockwood is a sophomore.
At 2nd singles, DH freshman Morgan Behymer lost to Park City sophomore Gabby Rockwood, 6-0, 6-1. Gabby Rockwood went on to beat Ridgeline junior Kristen Johnson 6-0, 6-3 in the championship. Johnson had eliminated Hurricane’s Candice Gubler 6-3, 6-2 in the semifinals.
At 3rd singles, Thunder netter Abbie Carmack battled hard in the semifinals, eventually falling to Logan freshman Annie Spach 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-6 (8), Park City’s Matz won the championship match over Spach 6-0, 6-2.
At 2nd doubles, the Grantsville duo of Marissa Linares and Maci Jackson beat Park City’s Caleigh Lydon and Marissa Zanetti 6-1, 3-6, 6-1 in the championship. Linares and Jackson had defeated Desert Hills’ Lyndsi Graf and Jocelyn Kennedy 6-1, 7-6 (3) in the semifinals.
Park City has just one senior on its entire state contingent (Zanetti). Desert Hills should also return strong with only one senior as well (Kennedy).
“Throughout the year, we experienced players making amazing come-from-behind wins,” said Desert Hills coach Dave Smith. “While we made similar moves at state in the semis and finals, we experienced the heartache of not completing comebacks. I’m so proud of all my girls have accomplished this season, and very proud of how they fought at state. There were tears that came from how much they wanted to win state, but also a resolve to come back next year as a team and win it all.”
For full state 3A results, click here.
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