CENTRAL NEW YORK – A superb regular season for the Westhill girls tennis team came down to whether it could keep its mark perfect against the top teams in the Onondaga High School League Liberty division.
But the Warriors’ unbeaten run ended on Sept. 20 against Christian Brothers Academy, who kept its own mark perfect by claiming a 5-2 decision.
Shut out in singles, Westhill did get a sweep in doubles when Samantha Burkett and Phoebe Gummaer beat Maddie Kamerviko 6-1, 6-2, with Jane Stanton and Tatum Bagnell going three sets in a 7-6, 4-6, 10-6 win over Monica Fallon and Katrina Ricelli.
Then, against Cazenovia last Tuesday afternoon, Westhill picked up one more point, but still lost, 4-3, to the Lakers.
All of the Warriors’ points came in doubles, where it gained one forfeit and, in a marathon battle, had Gumaer and Burkett beat Ava Galton and Kate Williams 6-7 (7-4), 6-4, 6-3.
Megan Battista and Emily Balduzzi rolled past Audrey Henry and Lily Campagna 6-3, 6-4, but in singles Cadence Ramsing and Kathleen Rogers were both shut out as Clare Delay lasted longer, but still fell to Leah Bell 6-4, 6-3.
Despite these setbacks, Westhill is still the no. 3 seed in the Section III Class B team tournament, meeting no. 6 seed Carthage in Monday’s quarterfinals with a berth in the semifinals against Whitesboro or Jamesville-DeWitt at stake.
Skaneateles got back in the win column last Monday, topping Homer 5-2 as Addison Ziegler shut out Mackenzie Skodzinsky 6-0, 6-0 in singles to go with Isabelle Soderberg’s 6-3, 6-3 win over Emma Effinger.
Over in doubles, Bryn Butler and Millie Wu won, as did Avery Bolster and Addy Pavlus, who topped Ava Bailey and Elizabeth McCoy 6-3, 6-1. Madelyn Vance and Makayla Barron had a 6-3, 6-0 win over Nina Svereika and Mackenzie Lyman.
Though it was closer in Thursday’s match against Mexico, Skaneateles was able to edge the Tigers 4-3, the key blow coming on the doubles side.
With Soderberg, DeJesus and Ziegler having all won their singles matches in straight sets, Vance and Barron were shut out in the second set by Abigail Roberts and Isabella Ponzi, but rebounded to win the match and the clinching point 6-2, 0-6, 6-4.
When placed as the no. 8 seed in the Class C sectional team tournament, the Lakers had to get past no. 9 seed Sauquoit Valley in Friday’s opening round – and did so by a 3-2 margin, setting up a Monday quarterfinal against unbeaten top seed Lowville.
As it turned out, Marcellus is also in the Class C sectional bracket, the Mustangs owning the no. 4 seed and taking on no. 5 seed Little Falls in the quarterfinals.
West Genesee rolled past Liverpool 6-1 last Monday afternoon, the Wildcats sweeping all four of the doubles matches.
Between them, the teams of Calina Olson-Angelina Allen, Helena Allen-Ava Amodio, Sarah Domin-Evelina Mauro and Lauren Battaglia-Nicole Vasilev did not drop a set. And though Kailyn Drury lost in singles, Hannah Sparks won 6-2, 6-1 over Lydia Breckheimer and Cynthia Schlenker handled Hailey Jaquin 6-2, 6-0.
A 7-0 shutout of Henninger followed, the Wildcats getting singles shutouts from Helena Allen and Kailyn Drury as Ava Amodio beat Hana Mehic 6-0, 6-1. None of WG’s four doubles teams lost more than one game in any single set they played.
But when facing unbeaten Fayetteville-Manlius on Friday, WG did not earn a set in any of the matches of a 7-0 defeat to the Hornets. Domin was closest, in singles, falling to Lindsey Chong 6-3, 6-3.
