Players qualify for state match
SIKESTON -- Dexter's tennis team won the 1A-3A District Tournament at Sikeston on Thursday, beating out 11 other teams in the district with 29 1/2 points.
Charleston came in second, followed by Kennett, North County and Sikeston.
The events started at 9 a.m. and finished up around 9 p.m.
"Lynne DeWitt has run our tournament for the last four years, and she did an excellent job today," said Sikeston coach Suzanne Hart. "She keeps things on the ball, and I would really like to thank her for all she does for us."
Kennett's Britney Burcham was the singles champion, while the doubles competition was won by Charleston's Britt Story and Courtney McClendon.
In singles, Burcham won the championship by defeating Sikeston's Elizabeth Killion in the finals, 6-2, 6-2.
By reaching the finals, both qualified for the state championships at Springfield Oct. 18-20.
"I thought (Killion) had the talent and will to qualify for state," said Hart. "I was very pleased with her performance today. When you get to state, there is a lot of competition. I think she will represent herself well, but it will be a learning experience for her."
Killion reached the finals by defeating three players. After a bye in the first round, she beat Charleston's Summer Groves 6-2, 6-0. In the third round, she rolled past North County's Kim Conway 6-1, 6-0, then in the semifinals she defeated Dexter's Elise Young 6-1, 6-2.
"She pretty much just cruised through to the finals," said Hart. "When she was warming up for the finals, she broke a string on her racket. She had to play with another person's racket, and it kind of took the win out of her sails. Her final match would've been much closer if she would've had her own racket."
Lindsay Leible also took advantage of a bye in the first round. She was able to nip Fredericktown's Morgan Kemp 7-5, 7-6, with a 7-2 tiebreaker, but lost to the eventual champion Burcham in the third round, 6-4, 6-0.
In doubles, Valerie Haman and Kellee Manley were defeated by North County's James and Cook, 6-3, 6-3. Heather Hester and Erin Shelton received a first-round bye, then lost to Dexter's Rose and Ward in the second round, 6-4, 6-3.
"Lindsay Leible did very well," said Hart. "The doubles teams didn't fare quite as well. I think a case of nerves hit."
* Charleston qualified four of six for state by placing first and second in the doubles tournament.
"I'm real proud of the girls," said Charleston coach Mitch Baker. "The whole team played well. I knew going in it was going to be really tough to beat Dexter. They have a very strong team from top to bottom, and they made it to the semifinals in both singles and both doubles. I'm just really happy our two doubles teams get to go to state."
The team of Britt Story and Courtney McClendon won by default over Charleston's No. 1 doubles team of Emily McDowell and Mindi Leuhmann.
Story and McClendon won the first set 6-1, then took a 3-0 lead in the second before Charleston decided to end the match because of Leuhmann's ankle problems.
"Those girls set a goal last year to go to state, and they've worked hard," said Baker. "We knew going in that it would be tough, but the girls did what they had to do."
Both doubles teams will play in the state tournament in two weeks.
In the first round, Story and McClendon defeated Caruthersville's Taylor and Lindsdale 6-1, 6-0. In the second round, they beat Fredericktown's Cooper and Cooper 6-0, 6-1.
In the semifinals, the two defeated Dexter's Howard and Long 6-3, 6-2.
McDowell and Leuhmann received a bye in the first round, then defeated Fredericktown's Owens and Peppers 6-1, 6-2. In the third round, the two beat North County's Pace and Banks 6-0, 6-2, then edged Dexter's Rose and Ward in the semifinals 2-6, 6-1, 6-3.
In singles for Charleston, Summer Groves was defeated by Sikeston's Elizabeth Killion in the first round 6-2, 6-0. Emily Rolwing lost to North County's Amanda Hilgedick in the first round, 6-3, 6-3.
"I felt bad for my singles players, because they had some really tough first-round matches," said Baker. "That's just luck of the draw."
Both Dexter and Charleston qualified for next weekend's state sectionals in St. Louis. If either team wins, they will advance to the Final Four.