BV North in solid position heading into semifinals

MAIZE, Kan. | Blue Valley North coach Ann Heidebrecht hadn’t done the math yet, but really, there wasn’t much left to figure out as the first day of the Kansas 6A state tournament neared its end Friday.

“I would have to guess with all four (entrants) in the semis, it’s going to be looking pretty good for us,” Heidebrecht said.

Indeed, the Mustangs positioned themselves as the favorites to win another girls tennis state championship by advancing both of their doubles teams and both singles players through to the semifinals at Maize South.

“It takes a lot of pressure off of us,” BV North junior Shae Fournier said of the team’s strong showing Friday.

Fournier and freshman doubles partner Shea Flanagan scored a key win for the Mustangs, defeating Shawnee Mission East’s Grace Martin and Elizabeth Wilcox, 6-4, 6-0 in quarterfinal play.

SM East, the reigning 6A state champion, had appeared to be BV North’s top challenger entering the tournament and was the only other team Friday to advance two entrants to the semis.

Meanwhile, when semifinal play begins at 9 this morning, the Mustangs will also be represented by the doubles team of freshmen Megan Schultz and Carly Sutton, as well as senior Haley Fournier and sophomore Madison Rhyner in singles.

In fact, the semifinals will be a mostly all-Johnson County affair.

SM East sophomore Mimi Fotopoulos — the 6A state runner-up last year — continued her dominant undefeated season with consecutive 6-0, 6-0 victories to reach the semis, where she’ll face Rhyner.

Blue Valley junior Ashley Tiefel was just as impressive, dropping only one game while having to win three matches to advance to the other singles semifinal.

Tiefel, 23-3, will play a familiar foe in Haley Fournier, 26-2, to whom all three of her losses have come. The elder Fournier won her matches 6-0, 6-0 and 6-1, 6-0 Friday.

SM East senior Nikki Reber — part of the Lancers’ 6A state champion doubles team last year — and sophomore Mollie Cooper won their quarterfinal and advance to play BV North’s Schultz and Sutton.

Aquinas teammates reach semifinals at 5AWell, this could get interesting.

When the 5A state tournament in Wichita resumes play this morning, St. Thomas Aquinas will have its two standout singles players in opposite semifinals, setting up the possibility for a clash of teammates in the championship match.

Saints senior Nicole Jara and sophomore Natalie Looney have played each other two times this season (Looney won in the regional finals, Jara won the earlier meeting), but they still have some work to do before a possible Round III.

Jara, the reigning 5A singles champ, plays Kapaun Mount Carmel’s Maddie Schulte in the semis, while Looney faces Bishop Carroll’s Hillary Hicks. But should the teammates both advance …

“They both have their game faces on. That’s what they want. That’s what they came here for,” Aquinas coach Amy Person said. “They will be teammates today, tomorrow, and they will be teammates on Sunday. Regardless of the outcome of what happens (today), they represent Aquinas. … Hopefully, one of them will walk away with it.”

The Saints are also trying to repeat as 5A team champions.

Meanwhile, Bishop Miege seniors Meghan McMahon and Hannah Crandall advanced to the semifinals in doubles play.

submitted by RYAN YOUNG - 2009-10-16 22:44:01

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