Dow High’s girls’ tennis team has won the Saginaw Valley League Championship almost a given in more than two decades. However, this time around it was anything but easy for the Chargers.
With Grand Blanc on pace during a long, hot day at the Greater Midland Tennis Center, Dow won and reached the Flight Championships in No. 1 Singles, No. 2 Singles, No. 3 Singles, No. 1 Doubles and No. 4 Doubles. Championship match on two other flights – which was good enough to catch the Bobcats and get the Chargers 24th Consistent Valley titles.
Dow coach Garrett Turner said this year’s SVL crown was particularly rewarding, given the weather conditions and tough competition.
“We tied Grand Blanc in our double match this year, so we knew it was going to be a fight. We talked a lot about doing our best and bringing energy, and that’s hard to do when you Playing in 80-degree weather for the first time in an entire season,” Turner said. “…It’s tough. It’s tough when you’re not used to the heat and you’re trying to play high-level tennis. Mentally and physically, you’re not that sharp, and when you get into a close fight, you’re not sure what’s going to happen.
“We were tied with Grand Blanc going into the final, and we each had seven flights into the final,” he said. “We got lucky and got a win against them that we didn’t get (in the first season), and then we retained the earlier win against them.”
When the final point was played, the Chargers wound up with Grand Blanc’s 26 on 28 points, while Midland High finished a solid third out of 12 teams with 14.5 points. Saginaw Heritage took fourth place with 11.5 points, while Bay City Western took fifth place with 11 and Mount Pleasant took sixth place with 10.
Chemicals coach Maryanne Wright was very pleased with her team’s performance.
“This group decided to work in the off-season, and they put in some time last fall. We played on our new courts until November, and then we played inside at least once or twice a week. I would say that At least 10 of them did that, and it was really important,” Wright said.
“…we wanted to be more proud of what they were doing on the court, rather than what (our results) have been in past history,” he said, noting that Midland won last year’s SVL. Scored only eight points in the meet.
1 singles championship win over Midland freshman Dalton DeBoer in the final with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Dow senior Savannah Matuszewski said it was “amazing” to see her team claim another league title.
“We have a lot of new players this year, and it’s great to be able to see them win it and see them progress (really),” Matuszewski said. Number 1 this year. “…it’s definitely been a challenge (playing at No. 1 singles), but it’s really fun to see all these guys and play good matches and get out there and compete.”
Meanwhile, DeBoer said his new campaign “has been a lot of fun; it’s been great.
“I think everybody has a really positive attitude, and everybody works really hard and works out really well,” said DeBoer, who has been playing competitive tennis since fifth grade. “Even girls who are new to tennis have worked really hard in the off-season. I don’t think we have done this in a long time. I think we were ahead of the game going into the season, and then we kept getting better.
“… our coaches allowed us to practice (during the off-season), and everyone got to know each other, and we have a good chemistry,” she said. “And we also got to play a lot, so it was good.”
No. In 1st singles, Matuszewski received a bye and then defeated Mount Pleasant 10–0 and faced DeBoer in the championship match after beating Heritage 6–1, 6–0 in the semi-finals. DeBoer received a bye, then beat Bay City Central 10–0 and defeated Grand Blanc 6–1, 6–3 to reach the final.
“I think today was a great day for me, especially with the heat,” said Matuszewski, who kept DeBoer on the run with low, deep groundstrokes. “… my goal of going into it was just to play as good as I could and to make it work for as long as I could.”
Meanwhile, DeBoer was excited to outdo her Grand Blanc opponent in the semi-finals and reach the championship match.
“I think I’m playing well today. I just played someone who’s very tough, and I did really well against him,” she said shortly before facing Matuszewski. . It’s very exciting (to make it to the final), especially because there are really good players here, and it’s crazy for me.”
In the No. 2 singles, Laura Letty of the Dow received a bye, then beat Riley Penwell of Midland 10-2, defeating Davison 6-3, 6-3 in the semi-finals, and Grand Blanc 6-3, 4- 6, beat 6-0. in the final. Penwell defeated Flint Powers in their first round match.
In the No. 3 singles, Claire Early of the Dow received a bye, then beat Powers 10–1, beat Brooklyn Moore of Midland 6–1, 6–0 in the semifinals, and 6–1 to Grand Blanc in the championship match. , defeated 6-4. , Moore received a bye, then defeated Mount Pleasant 10–1 to reach the semi-finals.
In the No. 4 singles, Tessa Wood of the Dow received a bye, then beat Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy 10–0, defeated Lapire 6–3, 5-7, 6–2 in the semi-finals and 6–0, 4. Lost by -6. , 6-4 at Grand Blanc in the final. Midland’s Elle Breins defeated BCC 10–2 in the opening round, then lost 10–1 to Bay City Western’s Jesse Rezmer in the quarterfinals.
In the No. 1 doubles, Dow’s Ayesha Middha and Mallory Matthews received byes, then beat Carmen-Ainsworth 10–0, beat Heritage 6–0, 6–0 and beat Grand Blanc in straight sets in the final. Midland’s Allison Stifler and Emma Bushlen lost to Powers 10-6 in the first round.
2 doubles, Midland’s Abby Carroll and Sofia Sanchez received a bye, then beat BCW 10–0, defeating Dow’s Jule Renz and Maggie Nelson 6–4, 6–1 and 6–1, in the semifinals. Lost 6-0. For Grand Blanc in the final. Renz and Nelson received byes, then defeated Powers 10–1 to reach the semi-finals.
In the No. 3 doubles, Dow’s Alyssa Cousteau and Lauren Yao received a bye, then beat Heritage 10–0, defeating Avery Miller and Cheryl Fritz of Midland 6–4, 6–3 in the semifinals straight from Grand Blanc. Lost in sets. The last. Miller and Fritz received byes, then defeated BCC 10–0 to reach the semi-finals.
And at No. 4 doubles, Dow’s Olivia Cross and Rachel Erdman received a bye, beating Powers 10-1, beating Chloe Nieto and Lauren McGuirk of Midland 6-3, 6-4 in the semi-finals and Grand Blanc beat in straight sets. The last. Nieto and McGuirk received byes, then defeated Mount Pleasant 10–3 to reach the semi-finals.
Turner commended Letty and Wood for coping with some adversity during the tournament.
“Laura had a three-set match in the final, and she became dehydrated. She won the first set very easily and was 4-1 in the second set, but then lost five games in a row because she was dehydrated. He said. “We had to force him to eat and drink something, and he got his energy back and won the third set 6-0.
“Tessa had a similar situation in the semifinal match,” he said. “She won the first set, lost the second set when Sooraj was at its peak, and was then able to grind it down and win the third set. Something just clicked, and things worked out her way.”
Turner said the championship was actually a team effort.
“All the other flights did what they were supposed to do,” he said. “…when you win by such a margin, there are many important moments throughout the day. In any of those matches against Grand Blanc, if we don’t win them, we either tie or lose to them. ,
For Wright, the highlight of his day was his No. 2 doubles team of Carroll and Sanchez reaching the finals after recently taking up the game of tennis.
“They are both new to tennis,” she said. “They’re playing great together, and they put in the time. Abby took lessons on Saturdays during basketball season, and Sofia hit as hard as she could (in the offseason). They’re keeping it together.”
“They put in the time and now they’re seeing results. It’s really cool, because every time you put in the time you don’t see results.”
The Chargers will host a Division 1 regional at GMTC next Thursday, while the Chemistry will host a Division 2 regional at GMTC the following day.
