The West Ottawa girls tennis team made it nine regional championships in a row with a dominating performance at home.
The Panthers won the Division 1 regional with 27 points on Thursday, May 14. Rockford was second with 20, Byron Center qualified for state with 18, Hudsonville took fourth (10), while Grand Haven and Grandville tied for fifth with six points in the 10-team event.
West Ottawa’s Evie Price won a three-set thriller at No. 1 singles, defeating Rockford’s Grace Ferry 6-3, 5-7, 6-3. Price beat Ferry during the regular season, but Ferry knocked off Price in Saturday’s OK Red Conference tournament.
Freshman Izzy Gitler won the regional title at No. 2 singles, defeating Rockford’s Sophie Burns 6-0, 6-1 in the finals.
At No. 3 singles, another freshman dominated with West Ottawa’s Sydney Shafer topping Rockford’s Ella Fix 6-1, 6-3 in the championship round.
“We have been looking forward to what they can do all year and they have not disappointed. I would argue they have exceeded any kind of expectations were put on them,” West Ottawa coach Pete Schwallier said. “They just love tennis and that is a beautiful thing to be around. It is the intangibles of how much they care. They are totally invested in every point they play.”
It wasn’t just the freshmen, either. Senior Maggie Rothstein led the Panthers to a singles sweep, winning at No. 4 6-0, 6-0 over Rockford’s Lilly Bajema.
West Ottawa got the job done in doubles, too.
Hope Hughes and Haylee Geerlings beat Rockford 6-4, 6-4 in the No. 2 doubles final. Olivia Smith and Audrey Anderson won 6-3, 6-1 in the No. 3 finals over Grand Haven.
At No. 1 doubles, West Ottawa’s Kallyn Gaul and Lovelle Kim reached the finals before losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 to Byron Center.
At No. 4, Mallory Paff and Hope Sikorski reached the semifinals before falling to Byron Center 6-2, 6-3.
D3 at Holland Christian: Maroons sweep flights for title
Holland Christian repeated as Division 3 regional champions on Thursday, May 14.
The Maroons scored 32 points to win and advance to the state tournament. Coopersville and Fruitport tied for second with 15 points apiece.
The Maroons won all eight flights.
Camryn Nadig beat Fruitport’s Josalynn Nowicki 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 at No. 1 singles.
Iyla Holmes beat Spring Lake’s Meredith Sakel 6-3, 6-1 at No. 2. HC’s Chloe Tait beat Fruitport’s Abby Poort 6-2, 6-0 at No. 3. Evie Traverse won at No. 4 singles, topping Molly Jonaitis 6-2, 6-0 in the finals.
In doubles, Holland Christian’s Kassie Evenhouse and Stella Klooster topped Spring Lake 6-0, 6-0 in the finals.
Hope Bruinsma and Lily Wierenga beat Coopersville 6-0, 6-0 in the finals. At No. 3, Izzy Delcalzo and Lucia VanKlompenberg beat Ludington 6-2, 6-1. Jadyn Smith and Chloe Dangler beat Unity Christian 6-4, 6-3 at No. 4.
This story will be updated with Hamilton’s Division 3 regional results at Paw Paw once they become available
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: West Ottawa, Holland Christian tennis win regionals, qualify for state