Bullpups snare regional title

Staff Photo by Steve Sell

McPherson High's Jenna Rader sets up for a backhand in action Monday from the regional tennis tournament.By STEVE SELL, Sentinel Sports Editor
McPherson High's Chelsea Ronsse and Amanda Gayer were battling two obstacles Monday in the Class 5A Regional Tournament's doubles final at Wall Park.
Ronsse and Gayer were trying to turn back the challenge of Liberal's pesky team of Hanna Hepp and Bao Phuong Nguyen. But the bigger problem was Mother Nature, which was turning out her lights as early morning rain forced the tournament three hours behind schedule.
Eventually, Ronsse and Gayer earned the championship with a 6-1, 6-3 victory, though it was practically dark when the match ended, not to mention a few droplets were falling as well.
"We were glad to get it in and glad we won the match," MHS coach Doug Gayer said.
The victory also gave the Bullpups enough points to capture the regional title, though they did tie with Newton. Both teams scored 11 points, but because MHS got five performers on to state and Newton had just two, the Bullpups were declared the champions.
"Five in. That's fantastic," Gayer said. "We had a couple of tough losses, matches I thought we could have won. I know the girls are disappointed in those, but it was still a good day."
Ronsse and Gayer will take a 16-6 record to state, which starts Friday in Arkansas City. They really weren't challenged during the day, losing just seven games in six sets.
The other MHS doubles team of Jenna Rader and Amy Schlesinger wound up taking third. They appeared headed for the finals, as in the semifinals they won the first set and then led 5-3 in the second set against Liberal's Hepp and Nguyen. But the Liberal duo, high-fiving after every point, won the final four games for a 7-5 win, forcing a third set. There, the Bullpups again enjoyed the lead, 3-1, but couldn't hang in a 6-4 loss.
"I know they're disappointed because they wanted to be in the finals," Gayer said. "I thought they were the better team, but it didn't happen."
Rader and Schlesinger are 26-11 on the year.
Paige Anderson was MHS' other state qualifier, taking fourth in singles. She'll take a 12-10 record to Arkansas City. "I was happy for Paige," Gayer said.
Anderson lost in her third-place match to Abby Kruse, who became the first player from Hays to make state since 1982.
It was an all-Newton final in singles, as Paige McKinney defeated Amber Vogts 6-0, 6-0 to move her record to 28-4. All of her losses are to Arkansas City's Karli Krisik, who has never lost a match or even a set in her three years, though Gayer said there's a player from Miege who may challenge her.
MHS' Emily Copeland won her first match in singles, but in the match to qualify for state, she was defeated after winning the first set.
REGIONAL RESULTS
Team Scores
McPherson 11, Newton 11, Liberal 5, Great Bend 4, Hays 4, Valley Center 1.
MHS Results
Chelsea Ronsse-Amanda Gayer -- Bye; def. Buss-Hasan (Newton) 6-0, 6-0; def. Mawhirter-Jurgensen (Great Bend) 6-3, 6-1; def. Hepp-Nguyen (Liberal) 6-1, 6-3.
Jenna Rader-Amy Schlesinger -- Bye; def. Poncin-Jurgensen (Great Bend) 6-2, 6-1; lost to Hepp-Nguyen (Liberal) 6-1, 5-7, 4-6; def. Mawhirter-Jurgensen (Great Bend) 6-3, 6-3.
Paige Anderson -- bye; def. Cupell (Liberal) 6-0, 6-0; lost to Vogts (Newton) 1-6, 2-6; lost to Kruse (Hays) 6-1, 4-6, 2-6.
Emily Copeland -- def. Culver (Great Bend) 6-2, 6-0; lost to Kruse (Hays) 6-4, 1-6, 3-6.

McPherson Unified School District 418
514 N. Main
McPherson, KS 67460
620-241-9400
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