tennis Archives - SoMo Sports

STATE TENNIS: Carl Junction doubles team takes 3rd; TJ’s Ding finishes 7th in singles

Posted on October 13, 2023 by Jason Peake

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Carl Junction’s duo of Naiyah Wurdeman and Jenna Besperat finished third in the Class 2 doubles bracket on Friday at the 2023 MSHSAA Girls Tennis Championships at the Cooper Tennis Complex.

Jenna Besperat and Naiyah Wurdeman.

In the third-place match, Wurdeman and Besperat ended the 2023 season on a high note by beating Springfield Catholic’s Hannah Lee and Britney Ung 6-1, 6-4.

In Thursday’s opening round, the Bulldogs defeated the St. Pius X duo of Chloe Kronlage and Brooke Madden 6-0, 6-0.

In the quarterfinal round, Wurdeman and Besperat topped Grain Valley’s Brooklyn Spencer and Emma Thiessen 4-6, 6-2, 10-7.

In the semifinals on Friday morning, Parkway North’s Yvonne Shannon-Emily Koo defeated Wurdeman-Besperat 7-6, 6-1. That loss sent the Bulldogs to the third-place match.

Shannon-Koo ended up winning the state title by beating Villa Duschesne’s Alexandra Todorovich/Katherine Todorovich 6-3, 6-2.

Besperat is a senior and Wurdeman is a junior. The pair led the way as the Bulldogs went 15-4 in duals this fall.

This was the second straight season Wurdeman and Besperat advanced to state in doubles.

DING TAKES SEVENTH IN SINGLES

Thomas Jefferson’s Allison Ding.

Thomas Jefferson senior Allison Ding finished seventh in the Class 2 singles bracket on Friday.

Playing for seventh place, Ding defeated Washington’s Evelyn Bryson 6-3, 6-2 to conclude the individual state tourney on a positive note.

On Thursday, Ding defeated Holt’s Jennifer Nelson 6-0, 6-1 in the opening round.

In the quarterfinals, MICDS’ Rachel Li topped Ding 6-0, 6-0.

In the consolation quarterfinals, Ding edged St. Pius X’s Kiera Dunn 6-1, 4-6, 11-9 to advance to Friday.

In the consolation semifinals on Friday, Springfield Catholic’s Caroline Nelson topped Ding 6-0, 6-1.

With the seventh-place match victory, Ding earned medalist honors for the third straight season.

The 2023 campaign isn’t over quite yet for Ding, as she and the Thomas Jefferson Cavaliers will compete at next week’s team state tournament.

Thomas Jefferson (14-0) will meet Grain Valley (23-2) in the Class 2 semifinals at 9 a.m. on Oct. 20.

GIRLS TENNIS: Thomas Jefferson wins 4th straight district title, its 1st in Class 2

Posted on October 5, 2023October 6, 2023 by Jason Peake

Winning district championships is nothing new to the Thomas Jefferson girls tennis program.

But this year’s district title was different, even a bit more significant for the Cavaliers.

When top-seeded Thomas Jefferson defeated third-seeded Notre Dame de Sion 5-1 on Wednesday in the championship match of the Class 2 District 7 girls tennis tournament it gave the Cavaliers a fourth straight district crown — the program’s first in Class 2.

After winning three straight district titles in Class 1, the Cavaliers were bumped up to Class 2 this year due to MSHSAA’s championship factor for private schools.

“We’re pretty excited about it,” Thomas Jefferson coach Tom Brumfield said. “We made school history today. This is the first district championship in Class 2 that the girls program has ever won. It gives us a good feeling. We’ve shown that we can compete at the next level. And this was one of the hardest districts we’ve been in. It’s a good feeling.”

The Thomas Jefferson Cavaliers captured a district title on Wednesday.

Playing on their home courts, the Cavaliers started Wednesday’s dual on a positive note by winning two of the three doubles matches.

At No. 1 doubles, Thomas Jefferson’s Allison Ding and Jeanna Jeyaraj defeated Anna McGeeney-Abigail Duethman 8-5 and TJ’s Esther Yang and Kyla Yang topped Elizabeth Vance-Lauryn Murphy 8-4 at No. 2 doubles.

At No. 3 doubles, Notre Dame de Sion’s Claire Weber-Katherine Spenceri defeated Warda Morsy and Mayson Solum 8-5.

“We started off pretty strong in doubles,” Brumfield noted. “Our No. 1 doubles team picked it up and really came through today. They picked up our No. 3 doubles team, which usually wins. And it’s always big to get up 2-1. It was a great start.”

The match ended when the Cavaliers secured three wins in singles play.

Morsy defeated Murphy 6-1, 6-1, while Solum beat Weber 6-3, 6-3 and Kyla Yang topped Spenceri 6-2, 6-3.

“All the girls did a great job,” Brumfield said. “We picked each other up. The girls just took care of business today. It’s a big win for us and a big win for the program, so we’re pretty excited.”

Notre Dame de Sion knocked off second-seeded Carl Junction in the semifinals. Of course, the Cavaliers edged the Bulldogs 5-4 in a close dual in late September.

“We expected a very close match today,” Brumfield noted.

In recent Class 1 district title matches, Thomas Jefferson defeated Mount Vernon 5-2 in 2022, College Heights 5-1 in ’21 and Mount Vernon 5-2 in ’20.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Thomas Jefferson will take a 13-0 record into next week’s state quarterfinals.

The Cavaliers will host the District 8 champion Platte County at 2:30 p.m. on Monday in the quarterfinal round of the state tournament.

“We’re looking forward to Monday’s match,” Brumfield said. “It’s always a bonus to be able to play at home. It’s where you’re most comfortable.”

Monday’s winner will advance to the state semifinals in Springfield on Oct. 20.

Pictured is the Thomas Jefferson girls tennis team. The Cavaliers captured a district championship on Wednesday. Courtesy photos.

GIRLS TENNIS ROUNDUP: Webb City nips Neosho; Thomas Jefferson remains undefeated

Posted on September 13, 2023 by Jason Peake

WEBB CITY 5, NEOSHO 4

WEBB CITY, Mo. — Webb City won two of the three doubles matches before the two teams split the six singles matches in a close girls tennis dual on Tuesday at Webb City High School.

At No. 1 doubles, Webb City’s Ally Ansley and Ayla McDonald defeated Keely Keeton and Emma VanDorn 8-2.

At No. 2 doubles, Neosho’s Francisca Ruiz-Angel Lee defeated Bethany Brumit-Adeline Ragsdale 8-3.

Webb City’s Averey Terry-Jaden Dailey beat Sydnee Minton-Abigail Coutu 8-4 at No. 3 doubles.

In singles, Webb City’s Ansley defeated Keeton 8-2, McDonald edged VanDorn 9-8 (7-4) and Terry beat Minton 8-2.

Neosho’s Ruiz defeated Brumit 8-3, while Lee beat Ragsdale 8-3 and Coutu topped Dailey 8-5.

THOMAS JEFFERSON 8, MONETT 1

MONETT, Mo. — The Thomas Jefferson Cavaliers improved to 6-0 with Tuesday’s win over the Monett Cubs.

In doubles, Thomas Jefferson’s Allison Ding-Jeanna Jeyaraj got past Elizabeth Smith-Vayla Smith 8-6, while Esther Yang-Kyla Yang beat Serenity Laning-Emma Parrigon 8-4 and Warda Morsy-Mayson Solum handled Ruby Smith-Valery Moncivaiz 8-1.

Monett’s lone win came at No. 1 singles, as Elizabeth Smith edged Ding 8-6.

In other singles matches, Thomas Jefferson’s Jeyaraj beat Laning 8-4, Esther Yang topped Vayla Smith 8-0, Morsy defeated Parrigon 8-0, Solum handled Ruby Smith 8-1 and Kyla Yang beat Moncivaiz 8-0.

Thomas Jefferson is at Monett’s tourney on Wednesday.

GIRLS TENNIS ROUNDUP: Cavaliers conquer Cardinals; Mountaineers upend Wildcats

Posted on September 12, 2023September 12, 2023 by Jason Peake

THOMAS JEFFERSON 9, WEBB CITY 0

Thomas Jefferson’s girls tennis team improved to 5-0 in duals this fall by beating Webb City 9-0 on Monday at the TJ courts.

The Cavaliers swept all three doubles matches and all six singles matches.

In doubles, Thomas Jefferson’s Allison Ding and Jeanna Jeyaraj defeated Ally Ansley-Ayla McDonald 8-0, while Esther Yang and Kyla Yang beat Bethany Brumit-Adeline Ragsdale 8-2 and Warda Morsy and Mayson Solum topped Averey Terry-Jaden Dailey 8-2.

In singles, Ding defeated Ansley 8-3, while Jeyaraj topped McDonald 8-2 and Esther Yang beat Brumit 8-0.

Morsy defeated Ragsdale 8-0, Solum topped Terry 8-0 and Kyla Yang defeated Dailey 8-1.

The Cavaliers travel to Monett on Tuesday.

Webb City hosts Neosho on Tuesday.

MOUNT VERNON 8, NEOSHO 1

NEOSHO, Mo. — Neosho’s lone win against the Mountaineers came at No. 6 singles, as Abigail Coutu defeated Olivia Collins 8-4.

The Mountaineers swept the other five singles matches, as Audrey Bittle beat Keely Keeton 8-2, Molly Burk edged Emma VanDorn 9-8 (7-3), Adelynn Hall topped Francisca Ruiz 8-6, Raegan Pendleton defeated Angel Lee 8-4 and Alyssa Collins beat Sydnee Minton 8-1.

The Mountaineers also won all three doubles matches.

At No. 1 doubles, Bittle-Burk defeated Keeton-VanDorn 8-5.

Hall-Pendleton defeated Ruiz-Lee 8-1 and A. Collins-O. Collins beat Minton-Coutu.

Neosho is at Webb City on Tuesday.

GIRLS TENNIS: Host Cavaliers repeat as TJ invite champions

Posted on September 8, 2023 by Jason Peake

The host Cavaliers captured the championship at Friday’s Thomas Jefferson Invitational girls tennis tournament.

Thomas Jefferson compiled 20.5 points, while North Kansas City had 20. Branson finished third with 18.5.

The Cavaliers advanced to the title match in all four brackets, winning the No. 1 doubles bracket and finishing as the runner-up in No. 1 singles, No. 2 singles and No. 2 doubles.

It was the second straight year the hosts won their own invite after Joplin won the tourney in 2021.

Members of the Thomas Jefferson girls tennis team pose with the championship trophy after winning the TJ Invitational. Courtesy photo.

NO. 1 SINGLES

In the championship match at No. 1 singles, North KC’s Sydney Fuger defeated Thomas Jefferson’s Allison Ding 8-0.

Ding defeated Neosho’s Emma VanDorn 8-0 and Carthage’s Kailie Laytham 8-1 en route to the title match.

In the third-place match, Branson’s Sylvie Barbour beat Carthage’s Laytham 8-1.

Aurora’s Kloey Boyd defeated College Heights’ Ella Bishop 8-6 in the consolation final.

Webb City’s Ally Ansley and Neosho’s Emma VanDorn went 0-2.

NO. 2 SINGLES

North Kansas City’s Angel Denopol topped TJ’s Jeanna Jeyaraj 8-1 in the title match at No. 2 singles.

Jeyaraj defeated Aurora’s Libby Sawyers 8-0 and CHC’s Lily Cummins 8-1 to reach the title match.

In the bracket’s third-place match, Branson’s Nanami Makino beat Cummins 8-2.

Webb City’s Ayla McDonald defeated Sawyers 8-4 in the consolation bracket final.

Neosho’s Lauren Nageotte went 0-2.

NO. 1 DOUBLES

Thomas Jefferson’s duo of Esther Yang and Kyla Yang won the No. 1 doubles bracket, beating Branson’s Olivia Bunce-Ivoree Marler 8-4 in the title match.

The Cavaliers defeated Webb City’s Addy Ragsdale-Bethany Brumit 8-1 and North KC’s Adele Merchant-Lilly Gerend 8-3 to reach the title match.

North KC’s duo defeated CHC’s Jeanna Smathers-Cloee Shackelford 8-4 in the third-place match.

Aurora’s McKenna Bradley-Adeline Patillo defeated Neosho’s Francisca Ruiz-Angel Lee 8-5 for fifth place (consolation) honors.

Carthage’s Logan Lee and Rachel Martin went 0-2.

NO. 2 DOUBLES

In the championship match of the No. 2 doubles bracket, Branson’s Abi Jones-Mia Kasabov defeated Thomas Jefferson’s Warda Morsy-Mayson Solum 8-5.

The Cavaliers beat CHC’s Londyn Eidson-Anna Heltzel 8-1 and Carthage’s Maddie Goetzinger-Emma Seedorf 8-0 in the first round and semifinals.

North KC’s Grace Hankins-Bella Jones beat Goetzinger-Seedorf 8-1 in the third-place match.

Webb City’s Averey Terry-Jaden Dailey topped CHC’s Eidson-Heltzel 8-3 for fifth place.

Neosho’s Sydnee Minton-Abigail Coutu went 0-2.

2023 Thomas Jefferson Girls Tennis Invitational

Final team standings: Thomas Jefferson 20.5, North KC 20, Branson 18.5, College Heights Christian 6, Carthage 4.5, Aurora 3.5, Webb City 3.5, Neosho 1.

GIRLS TENNIS: Joplin drops COC match to Ozark

Posted on September 8, 2023 by Jason Peake

Ozark defeated Joplin 7-2 in a Central Ozark Conference girls tennis match on Thursday.

At No. 1 singles, Joplin’s Mya Ndedi-Ntepe defeated Olivia Carpenter 8-5.

The Tigers won the other singles matches, as Diana Bonilla defeated Izzy Zamanzadeh 8-5, Serena Broussard topped Alex Carson 8-4, Laura Wolfe beat Julia Reyes 8-3, Morgan Sutton defeated Lily Compton 8-0 and Claire Rutledge beat Gwenna Street 8-3.

Joplin won the No. 1 doubles match, as Ndedi-Ntepe and Carson defeated Carpenter-Bonilla 8-4.

At No. 2 doubles, Ozark’s Broussard-Wolfe defeated Zamanzadeh-Reyes 8-1. Ozark’s Sutton-Scott topped Compton-Street 8-0 at No. 3 doubles.

Joplin hosts Carl Junction on Tuesday.

GIRLS TENNIS ROUNDUP: Thomas Jefferson stays perfect; Neosho suffers pair of losses

Posted on September 8, 2023September 8, 2023 by Jason Peake

THOMAS JEFFERSON 9, MOUNT VERNON 0

MOUNT VERNON, Mo. — The Thomas Jefferson Cavaliers improved to 4-0 in dual competition this season by beating the Mount Vernon Mountaineers on Thursday.

In singles action, Thomas Jefferson’s Allison Ding defeated Audrey Bittle 8-0, Jeanna Jeyaraj beat Molly Burk 8-6, Esther Yang edged Adelynn Hall 8-6, Warda Morsy topped Raegan Pendleton 8-2, Mayson Solum defeated Marie Collins 8-3 and Kyla Yang handled Olivia Collins 8-1.

In doubles, TJ’s Ding-Jeyaraj defeated Bittle-Burk 8-0, while Yang-Yang beat Hall-Pendleton 8-4 and Morsy-Solum topped Collins-Collins 8-2.

The Cavaliers will host the TJ Invitational on Friday. The action begins at 9 a.m. at the TJ courts.

BRANSON 9, NEOSHO 0

NEOSHO, Mo. — The Neosho Wildcats suffered a home COC loss to Branson on Thursday.

In doubles, Branson’s Sylvie Barbour-Nanami Makino defeated Keely Keeton-Emma VanDorn 8-0, while Ivoree Marler-Abigail Jones beat Francisca Ruiz-Angel Lee 8-4 and Mia Kasabov-Gracie Smith topped Sydnee Minton-Abigail Coutu 8-3.

Branson swept all six singles matches, as Barbour beat VanDorn 8-0, Makino defeated Ruiz 8-1, Marler topped Lee 8-1, Jones beat Minton 8-3, Kasabov got past Coutu 8-2 and Smith defeated Lauren Nageotte 8-0.

MONETT 8, NEOSHO 1

MONETT, Mo. — Neosho dropped a non-conference match to the Monett Cubs on Wednesday night.

The Cubs won all three doubles matches and five of the six singles matches.

In doubles, Monett’s Elizabeth Smith-Vayla Smith defeated Keeton-VanDorn 8-2, while Serenity Laning-Emma Parrigon beat Ruiz-Lee 8-3 and Ruby Smith-Jocelyn Hernandez edged Minton-Coutu 8-6.

Monett’s Elizabeth Smith defeated Keeton 8-2, Laning topped VanDorn 8-0, Vayla Smith beat Ruiz 8-4, Parrigon defeated Lee 8-1 and Ruby Smith got past Minton 8-2.

Neosho’s Coutu defeated Hernandez 8-4 at No. 6 singles.

TENNIS PREVIEW: Carthage has new faces in key roles

Posted on August 15, 2023 by Jason Peake

After losing its top six players to graduation, the Carthage High School girls tennis team will have a large group of varsity newcomers in big roles this fall.

“We’ll have some fresh faces with very little varsity experience taking over the show this year,” Carthage coach Mark Lingenfelter said. “I’m excited to see how well we step up to the challenges that we’ll face this year, having so little varsity experience. It will be fun watching to see who will step up and make those gains and help put some points on the scoresheet for us. I’m also excited because we’ve got a really great group of young ladies.”

Three players with prior experience who are expected to be key performers this fall are seniors Logan Lee and Rachel Martin and junior Kailie Layman.

Other seniors on the roster are Aneidy Garza, Ava Goade and Emma Seedorf. Juniors listed on the roster are Sheily Calderon, Heaven Chuta-Saquic, Makayla Cochrane, Rozalyn Dunkle, Kambly Elias, Claire Giett, Maddie Goetzinger, Anne Kennedy and Emme Rogers.

Sophomores are Layla Carey, Mya Davison, Sage Gonzalez, Lucy Grissam, Lasha Hernandez and Flannery Shelfer.

Freshmen competing for varsity spots are Adalee Gober, Yaneli Hernandez-Juarez, Aubrey Jewett, Valeria Najarro, Hayden Lawyer, Rylee Wallace, Tristyn Wilson, Lyssette Witherspoon and Vannessa Zamora Gerardo.

Last year’s squad was led by seniors Kianna Yates and Daniela Marquez. The doubles duo took second at the conference tournament, fourth at the district tournament and won tourney titles at both Monett and Thomas Jefferson.

Other key performers from last year, Katie Barton, Beverly Garcia, Abigail Samuel and Mireya Mendez, all graduated.

With so many new faces in big roles, Lingenfelter hopes to see steady progress throughout the fall season.

“This is definitely going to be a growing year,” Lingenfelter said. “You can’t put a value on experience, and so few of my varsity players this year will have any varsity experience. It’s going to be tough, but we’re going to work hard and have fun doing it.”

Despite the team’s lack of varsity experience, Lingenfelter said there’s a lot to like about the group.

“My assistant coach (Maddie Capps) is definitely a strength for us,” he said. “The girls have really taken to her and she makes life easier for all of us. Another strength would be that the whole team gets along and has better chemistry than we did last year. The upperclassmen are really good about cheering on and including the underclassmen, and they’re a very sound bunch academically.”

Asked about a main goal for the season, Lingenfelter said it’s simple.

“Our goal is to be competitive, get better, and have fun doing it,” he said. “I want my kids to get better, refine their technique and abilities. A lot of that relies on being able to let bad habits go and being coachable and malleable. Keys to success will be to keep our chins up, staying positive, staying competitive, and enjoying each other and the process.”

Carthage opens the ’23 season on Aug. 28 at Monett.

TENNIS PREVIEW: Neosho has three returning starters in ’23

Posted on August 14, 2023August 14, 2023 by Jason Peake

The Neosho High School girls tennis team will feature three returning starters and a large group of newcomers this fall.

Senior Sydnee Minton and juniors Claire Burghart and Keely Keeton are the team’s returning starters.

Neosho coach Nick Hays said the program has 14 new players this season.

With three returning starters and a large group of newcomers, Hays is optimistic as the 2023 season arrives.

“I’m very excited to have so many new players and 10 of them are ninth graders,” Hays said. “I’m looking forward to our returners hopefully contributing more this year and building for the upcoming seasons.”

Of course, the Wildcats must navigate the always-tough Central Ozark Conference schedule. Neosho went 0-9 in COC play last year, something Hays hopes the team can improve upon this fall.

“Being in the COC, it will always be a difficult season,” Hays said. “We hope to try and get some conference wins this year along with some non-conference wins, as well.”

As far as team strengths, Hays noted his athletes have shown the ability to work hard and are eager to improve their games.

“The girls seem excited and motivated and willing to learn,” he said. “That’s half the battle.”

The Wildcats will have several varsity newcomers in big roles this season.

With that, Hays simply hopes to see steady progress throughout the ’23 season.

“We have a lot of brand new players,” Hays said. “We want to get them as much court time as possible to build that experience. We need to make sure the players are enjoying the sport enough to where they play a lot outside of practice to help improve, as well.”

Neosho hosts Aurora at 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 28.

TENNIS PREVIEW: Thomas Jefferson returns state-qualifiers, solid core in ’23

Posted on August 14, 2023 by Jason Peake

Led by state-medalist Allison Ding, the Thomas Jefferson girls tennis team returns a solid core in 2023.

The Cavaliers return all but one varsity performer from last year’s squad that went 14-1, won a district title and ended the season in the Class 1 state quarterfinals.

With that in mind, Cavaliers coach Tom Brumfield has the goals set high for this year’s group.

“We are very excited about the upcoming season,” Brumfield said. “The team was close to making the final four last year. The team is looking forward to having another chance of making another run for the final four.

“I have high expectations for this group of girls,” Brumfield added. “They were very successful last year and that year of experience behind them should give them a lot more confidence. We had a young team last year with a lot of 10th graders. I believe we’ll see improvement in all areas of their game. The fact that we return all but one player from last year doesn’t hurt.”

A senior, Ding placed eighth in the singles bracket at last year’s Class 1 state tournament. Ding also earned a state medal as a sophomore, finishing seventh.

Jeanna Jeyaraj, a junior, is also a returning state-qualifier in singles play.

Also back with prior starting experience are juniors Kyla Yang, Warda Morsy and Mayson Solum. Yang was the team’s No. 3 singles player a season ago, while Morsy played No. 4 singles and Solum was the No. 6 player.

“All three of these girls were very solid for us last year and have been working on their game during the offseason,” Brumfield said. “I’m excited to have them back and to see their improvements.”

Senior Emalee Ro returns after playing No. 7 singles last year.

Also back with varsity experience are sophomores Haley Orr and Jeanna Joseph.

“Haley and Jeanna were freshmen last year and have been playing and doing lessons the past few years,” Brumfield noted. “I’m looking forward to seeing how much they have progressed. They’ll be pushing for a spot in the top six.”

The team’s lone loss to graduation was Jessica Joseph, who played No. 5 singles last year.

Freshmen Esther Yang and Audrey Bowles are promising newcomers.

“Esther has been working hard the past few years improving herself,” Brumfield commented. ” She’ll be a big challenger for a top spot on the team. Looking forward to seeing her in the mix. Audrey has also been working on her tennis game during the summer. Audrey will be a nice addition to the team.”

Brumfield is confident the Cavaliers will be able to field a strong lineup.

“The strength of our team will be the depth of our lineup,” Brumfield said. “We will be solid 1-6 and beyond. The bottom part of the lineup is very important in team play. Being strong at the 4-7 spots can put you over the top in many matches. I believe we can be strong there and we should also be strong at the top of our lineup.”

Heading into any season, an area of concern is always injuries.

“We need to make sure we stay healthy and hopefully avoid injuries,” Brumfield said. “Injuries can always mess up a lineup when they are playing not only singles, but also doubles.”

Brumfield noted the Cavaliers will move from Class 1 to Class 2 this year.

“A big unknown factor at this time is the fact that we will be bumped up to Class 2,” he said. “We’ll have to wait and see where they send us at district time. This will be uncharted territory for the girls program. I’m sure we’ll see a new group of teams that we’ll have to go through. I would feel much better playing the teams from last year that we are familiar with. With that said, I also feel this group can compete at the Class 2 level. We’ll take the approach that it really doesn’t make a difference what class we’re in.”

Brumfield feels the Cavaliers have the pieces in place to put together a very successful season.

“We’ll need to take each match one at a time and be confident we can compete at district time, wherever we are sent,” Brumfield said. “This is a great group of girls that have been working hard over the offseason while looking forward to this season. As long as the girls stay focused and enjoy the game without putting pressure upon themselves, the season should be a lot of fun and one for them to remember.”

Thomas Jefferson hosts Nevada at 4:30 on Aug. 31.

Allison Ding enters her senior year as a two-time state medalist. File photo.

TENNIS PREVIEW: Joplin girls set for ’23 season

Posted on August 10, 2023 by Jason Peake

The Joplin High School girls tennis team will be led by six returning letterwinners this fall.

Seniors Mya Ndedi-Ntepe, Alex Carson, Zayda Derganc and Gwenna Street, junior Izzy Zamanzadeh and sophomore Lily Compton return to the courts with prior varsity experience.

“I’m always excited for what a new season brings, such as what new faces we have on the team, how much the players improved over the offseason and the general excitement,” Joplin coach Ben Coltharp said. “I believe we will be close to last season, where we will be around .500 for the season. But adding challenging matches and tournaments to our schedule will only make us stronger, as well as playing in the COC, one of the more challenging conferences in the state.”

The Eagles lost senior starters Emma Watts, Jensen Vowels, Brynn Driver and Bonnie Smith to graduation. Watts captured the singles championship at last year’s Central Ozark Conference Tournament.

Joplin will look to improve upon last year’s 9-13 dual record.

“One of our biggest strengths is our team camaraderie and culture,” Coltharp said. “The girls are supportive and build each other up. Towards the beginning of the season, the upperclassmen pair up with the underclassmen, and this helps with those freshmen and newer players that might be a little scared at first.”

The Eagles will open the season by hosting the annual Joplin Interstate Championships tourney on Aug. 25-26.

STATE TENNIS: TJ’s Nagarajan goes 2-1 on Day 1

Posted on May 19, 2023 by Jason Peake

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Thomas Jefferson junior Prithvi Nagarajan went 2-1 in singles action on Thursday at the 2023 MSHSAA Boys Tennis Championships at the Cooper Tennis Complex.

In the opening round, Nagarajan defeated Farmington’s Maddox Waller-Brenneke 6-1, 6-1.

In the quarterfinals, Ladue’s Max Chen defeated Nagarajan 6-1, 6-0.

Nagarajan beat Cape Girardeau Notre Dame’s Charlie West 6-3, 6-1 in the consolation quarterfinals to remain alive in the bracket.

Nagarajan will take on MICDS’ Arjun Puri on Friday in the consolation semifinals.

Also of note, Willard’s Caden Lingenfelser went 2-0 on Thursday and will take on Chen in the semifinals on Friday.

BOYS TENNIS: Thomas Jefferson falls in district title match

Posted on May 11, 2023 by Jason Peake

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Thomas Jefferson’s boys tennis team suffered a 5-2 loss to Barstow on Wednesday in the championship match of the Class 2 District 7 tournament.

With its first and lone dual loss of the season, Thomas Jefferson finishes 12-1 in team competition.

At No. 1 doubles, Barstow’s Sankeerth Gandhari and George Colombo defeated TJ’s Prithvi Nagarajan and Devan Murali 8-0.

At No. 2 doubles, TJ’s Chengle Qian and Tyler Brouhard beat Liam Groden-Shayan Ahmed 8-3.

Barstow’s No. 3 doubles team of Sanjeev Adma-Aaram Salam edged Jack Goodhue-Sam Li 8-6.

Thomas Jefferson’s Brouhard won his singles match 6-3, 6-3 over Adma.

Barstow’s Gandhari defeated Nagarajan 7-5, 6-0, while Groden beat Qian 6-2, 6-1 and Salam topped Goodhue 6-1, 6-4.

The match ended when Barstow reached five wins, so the two other singles matches were not completed.

Barstow, last year’s third-place finisher in Class 2 and the Class 1 state champion in ’21, advanced to the quarterfinals.

Thomas Jefferson’s Nagarajan will compete at the individual state tournament on May 18 at Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield.

BOYS TENNIS: Carthage wins Republic tourney, Neosho takes 5th

Posted on May 1, 2023 by Jason Peake

The Carthage High School boys tennis team won the Republic Tournament championship on Friday.

Carthage edged Bolivar by one point (8-9) for the team title.

Rounding out the team standings were Republic (12), Forsyth (17), Neosho (20), Greenwood (24), Carl Junction (25) and Smith-Cotton (29).

The Tigers had one champion, a pair of runners-up and a third-place finisher.

Carthage’s Joshua Rivera was the champion at No. 2 singles.

Carthage’s Charlie Snow was the runner-up at No. 1 singles and the CHS tandem of Silas Laytham and Danilo Lopez took second at No. 1 doubles.

Carthage’s duo of Will Wallace and Fabian Solano placed third at No. 2 doubles.

Neosho had two entries finish fourth in their respective brackets—Reid Snyder at No. 2 singles and the duo of Breckin McAffrey and Noah Schade at No. 2 doubles.

Neosho’s Christian Williams-Peyton Williams finished fifth at No. 1 doubles and Willis Jarvis placed eighth at No. 1 singles.

Carl Junction’s top performer was Daniel Hodson, who took third place at No. 2 singles.

Bolivar’s Cy Douglas won the No. 1 singles bracket, while his teammates Kyle Pock and Seth Martin won the No. 1 doubles bracket.

Republic’s Cooper Davis-Cooper Choate were the champs at No. 2 doubles.

BOYS TENNIS: Thomas Jefferson tops Carthage in close dual

Posted on April 4, 2023 by Jason Peake

The Thomas Jefferson Independent School boys tennis team defeated Carthage 5-4 on Monday.

The Cavaliers improved to 3-0 with the close dual victory.

The Tigers won two of the three doubles matches.

At No. 1 doubles, Thomas Jefferson’s Prithvi Nagarajan and Tyler Brouhard defeated Carthage’s Charles Snow and Silas Laytham 8-1.

Carthage’s Joshua Rivera and Danilo Lopez-Gramajo defeated TJ’s Chengle Qian and Jack Goodhue 8-5 at No. 2 doubles, while William Wallace-Eli Scott beat Sam Li-Nathaniel Curtis 8-1 at No. 3.

The Cavaliers won four of the six singles matches.

Thomas Jefferson’s Nagarajan beat Snow 8-4, Qian defeated Laytham 8-4, Brouhard topped Rivera 8-3 and Goodhue beat Lopez-Gramajo 8-1.

Carthage won the No. 5 and No. 6 singles matches, as Wallace defeated Li 8-1 and Scott beat Curtis 8-3.

Thomas Jefferson is Monett on Tuesday. Carthage (0-1) meets Carl Junction on Tuesday at the Joplin Athletic Complex.

GIRLS TENNIS: Thomas Jefferson duo compete at state tourney; Mountaineers advance to semifinals

Posted on October 15, 2022 by Jason Peake

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A pair of Thomas Jefferson singles players and Mount Vernon’s doubles teams began competition at the MSHSAA Class 1 Girls Tennis Championships on Friday at the Cooper Tennis Complex.

In opening round singles action, Thomas Jefferson’s Allison Ding suffered a 6-2, 6-3 setback to Notre Dame de Sion’s Anna McGeeney. TJ’s Jeanna Jeyaraj defeated Kennett’s Carley Winston 6-0, 6-4.

In the consolation round, Ding defeated Lafayette County’s Elena Williams 6-1, 6-0.

In the quarterfinals, Savannah’s Iris Alvarez defeated Jeyaraj 6-1, 6-0.

Next, the Cavaliers had to square off with the season on the line.

Ding and Jeyaraj were slated to play each other in the consolation quarterfinals.

In doubles, Mount Vernon’s Isabella Mosley and Allison Schubert defeated Chillicothe’s Rylee Washburn and Isabella Garr 6-1, 3-6, 10-6 in the opening round.

In the quarterfinals, the Mountaineers beat Helias Catholic’s Catherine Meystrik and Hannah Meystrik to advance to Saturday’s semifinals.

GIRLS TENNIS: Carl Junction doubles team competes at state tourney

Posted on October 14, 2022 by Jason Peake

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Carl Junction’s doubles team of Jenna Besperat and Naiyah Wurdeman concluded the 2022 season alongside the state’s best at the MSHSAA Class 2 Girls Tennis Championships on Thursday at the Cooper Tennis Complex.

In the opening round of doubles play, Besperat and Wurdeman suffered a 6-3, 6-3 loss to Villa Duchesne’s Elizabeth Brown and Katherine Todorovich.

In the consolation round, and with the season on the line, Fort Zumwalt North’s Mariah Savala and Diana Calzada-Torres defeated Besperat and Wurdeman 7-6, 7-6.

Both players will return next fall, as Besperat is a junior and Wurdeman is a sophomore.

GIRLS TENNIS: Thomas Jefferson falls in quarterfinal round of state tourney

Posted on October 11, 2022October 11, 2022 by Jason Peake

BOLIVAR, Mo. — Thomas Jefferson’s lone dual loss of the season came in the quarterfinal round of the MSHSAA Class 1 state tournament.

With a berth in the state semifinals on the line, Notre Dame de Sion defeated Thomas Jefferson 5-3 on Monday in a girls tennis matchup at Bolivar High School.

The Storm won two of the three doubles matches to begin the quarterfinal matchup.

At No. 1 doubles, Thomas Jefferson’s Allison Ding and Jeanna Jeyaraj defeated Anna McGeeney and Katherine Spenceri 8-5.

But Notre Dame de Sion’s Lauryn Murphy and Elizabeth Vance edged TJ’s Kyla Yang and Mayson Solum 8-6 at No. 2 doubles, while Caroline Weber and Abigail Duethman defeated TJ’s Warda Morsy and Jessica Joseph 8-3 at No. 3 doubles.

The Storm reached the needed five wins with three singles victories.

At No. 1 singles, McGeeney defeated Ding 6-2, 6-4.

The Cavaliers won the No. 2 and No. 3 singles matches, as Jeyaraj beat Spenceri 4-6, 6-0, 10-7 and Yang topped Murphy 6-4, 6-4.

At No. 4 singles, Vance defeated TJ’s Morsy 6-3, 6-0, and Duethman beat Thomas Jefferson’s Solum 7-5, 6-1 at No. 6 singles. The No. 5 singles match was not completed.

Notre Dame de Sion advanced to the semifinals of the state team tournament on Oct. 21, where the Storm will meet Clayton. The other semifinal features Kennett/Holcomb vs. Chillicothe.

Thomas Jefferson advanced to the quarterfinals by beating Bolivar 5-4 in the sectional round on Monday morning.

The Liberators won two of the three doubles matches. All three doubles matches were extremely close.

At No. 1 doubles, Bolivar’s Sophia Vestal and Reagan Hunt edged Ding and Jeyaraj 9-7.

Thomas Jefferson’s Yang and Solum defeated Brynley Waters-Kami Bryan 8-6 at No. 2 doubles, but Bolivar’s Abby Welch-Elizabeth Thomas nipped Morsy-Joseph 8-6 at No. 3 doubles.

The Cavaliers won four of the six singles matches to secure the dual victory.

Ding defeated Vestal 6-2, 6-0, Jeyaraj beat Waters 4-6, 6-1, 10-6, Yang topped Hunt 6-3, 7-5 and Morsy defeated Sofia Smoshey 6-1, 6-2.

In other singles results, Bolivar’s Bryan beat Joseph 6-2, 6-2 and Welch defeated Solum 6-1, 6-2.

The Liberators defeated Thomas Jefferson in this round last year.

In the other sectional match, Notre Dame de Sion defeated Rogersville 5-1.

Tom Brumfield’s Cavaliers went 14-1 in dual matches this fall.

INDIVIDUAL STATE TOURNEY

Although the team portion of the season has concluded for the Cavaliers, Thomas Jefferson singles players Ding and Jeyaraj have qualified for the individual state tournament.

The individual state tournament for single and doubles begins on Friday in Springfield.

GIRLS TENNIS: Cavaliers, Mountaineers advance to individual state tourney

Posted on October 7, 2022 by Jason Peake

Thomas Jefferson advanced a pair of singles players to the Class 1 individual state tournament, and Mount Vernon’s doubles team also moved on at Friday’s Class 1 Sectional 6 tourney that was held at the TJ courts.

In singles play, Thomas Jefferson’s Allison Ding defeated Harrisonville’s Kayleigh Norris 6-2, 6-2 and teammate Jeanna Jeyaraj beat Harrisonville’s Abigail Overbay 6-4, 6-3.

In doubles, Bolivar’s Sophia Vestal and Reagan Hunt defeated Thomas Jefferson’s Kyla Yang and Mayson Solum 6-0, 6-1.

Mount Vernon’s doubles team of Isabella Mosley and Allison Schubert advanced by beating Bolivar’s Brynley Waters-Kami Bryan 6-1, 6-1.

The individual state tournament begins on Oct. 14 in Springfield.

GIRLS TENNIS: Thomas Jefferson claims third straight district championship; Cavaliers keep record perfect

Posted on October 5, 2022October 5, 2022 by Jason Peake

The Thomas Jefferson Cavaliers still haven’t dropped a dual match this fall.

And with their latest victory, the Cavaliers not only extended their season, but they also acquired some new hardware for the trophy case.

Top-seeded Thomas Jefferson defeated second-seeded Mount Vernon 5-2 on Wednesday evening in the championship match of the Class 1 District 10 girls tennis tournament at the TJ courts.

Thomas Jefferson improved to 13-0 in dual matches en route to capturing the program’s third straight district championship.

Cavaliers coach Tom Brumfield noted the Mountaineers made his squad earn the victory.

“I was feeling really good after doubles, but then it got a little tight there during singles play,” Brumfield said. “We won the first set in all of those matches, but then things tightened up. Mount Vernon did a great job. They stayed with it and didn’t give us anything easy. They kept plugging away and we really had to earn those wins. Our girls played well overall too. This was really an enjoyable match to watch.”

The Cavaliers began Wednesday’s district title match on a positive note, as the hosts won two of the three doubles contests.

At No. 1 doubles, Thomas Jefferson’s Allison Ding and Jeanna Jeyaraj defeated Isabella Mosley and Allison Schubert 8-5. Thomas Jefferson’s Kyla Yang and Mayson Solum beat Vicki Moore and Molly Burk 8-4 at No. 2 doubles.

At No. 3 doubles, Mount Vernon’s Adelynn Hall and Audrey Bittle edged TJ’s Jessica Joseph and Warda Morsy 9-8 (7-4 tie-breaker).

The first to five wins match ended after the Cavaliers won three singles matches.

In completed singles matches, Ding defeated Mosley 6-1, 6-0 at No. 1 singles, while Mount Vernon’s Moore beat Jeyaraj 1-6, 6-4, 10-7 at No. 2.

Thomas Jefferson’s Yang defeated Schubert 6-3, 6-1 at No. 3 singles, while teammate Solum beat Bittle 6-2, 6-4 at No. 6.

With those wins secured, the Cavaliers ended the night posing with the district championship plaque.

Next, the Cavaliers will meet District 11 champion Bolivar on Monday in the sectional round of the Class 1 state tournament.

Brumfield noted it’s been a stellar season thus far for his undefeated Cavaliers.

“We’re having a great season,” Brumfield said. “What they’ve done is not easy. They’ve been able to get up for every match and they’ve played well. Our next match won’t be easy. We can compete with them, but we can’t be scared.”

INDIVIDUAL SECTIONALS

Host Thomas Jefferson has three entries at Friday’s individual sectional tournament—singles players Ding and Jeyaraj and the doubles team of Yang-Solum.

Mount Vernon’s doubles team of Schubert-Mosley will also compete at the sectional, along with two singles players from Harrisonville and a pair of doubles teams from Bolivar.

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