By DAVID COOK
Led by Emily Struble at No. 2 singles, the Okemos girls tennis team wrapped up the season in by finishing fifth at the Division 2 state tennis finals.
A sophomore, Struble repeated as state champion at No. 2 singles by defeating Lauren Dietz of Marian 6-2, 6-0. Struble turned in a dominating performance at the finals, as she won 48 of 53 games in winning her four matches at the finals.
Struble’s state title helped Okemos score a total of 15 teams points to finish in fifth place overall. Marian won the team state title with 28 points, while Birmingham Seaholm was second with 23 points. East Lansing and Mason were both part of a five-way tie for eighth place with 10 points.
Along with Struble’s state title, Draga Sabotic reached the semifinals at No. 1 singles for the Chieftains, while Mya Srkalovic reached the semifinals at No. 4 singles.
East Lansing received some big efforts from its doubles teams. At No. 1, the team of Sarah Brainard and Emily Volovsek reached the semifinals. Reaching the quarterfinal round were the No. 2 team of Molly Ring and Kail Green and the No. 3 team of Maria Cotter and Caroline Baidoon.
Mason had a pair of singles players reach the semifinals. Abby Perkins reached the semifinals at No. 1 singles, while her sister Samantha Perkins reached the semifinals at No. 3.
DIVISION 1
Port Huron Northern captured the Division 1 girls’ tennis state title with 24 points.
Midland Dow placed 10th at the meet. It was led in singles action by Nicole Dobrzelewski, who reached the semifinals at No. 4 before losing to the eventual state champion, Madie Flournoy of Grosse Pointe South. Elaina Parrillo advanced to the quarterfinals at No. 2 singles for Dow.
In doubles action, Dow was led by the No. 2 team of Catherine Haslam and Amanda Bone, who reached the quarterfinal round.
DIVISION 3
Cranbrook Kingswood dominated the field at the Division 3 state finals. The Cranes won seven of the eight flights and finished with 39 points, one point shy of a perfect score.
Allegan took second place with 23 points. Haslett was the top finisher from mid-Michigan, at it placed eighth with 11 points, while DeWitt finished 13th.
Emily Virkus and Shea Donahue were the top placers for Haslett. Virkus reached the semifinals at No. 1 singles before falling to the eventual state champion, Alexandria Najarian of Cranbrook Kingswood. Donahue reached the semifinals at No. 2 singles, where she also lost to the eventual state champion, Anna Short of Cranbrook Kingswood. Hanna Volgelsang reached the quarterfinal round at No. 3 singles. Haslett’s No. 2 doubles team of Erica Coscarelli and Jill Wamhoff reached the quarterfinal.
DeWitt was paced by Sarah Barry who reached the quarterfinals at No. 4 singles. DeWitt’s No. 3 doubles team of Sarah Eaton and Hannah Swanson reached the quarterfinals.
DIVISION 4
Academy of the Sacred Heart repeated as state champion in Division 4 girls’ tennis. It totaled 29 points to edge out Grosse Ile, which totaled 26 points.
A trio of mid-Michigan schools finished in the top ten. Williamston was sixth with 14 points, Lansing Catholic was seventh with 13 points, and Portland was ninth with 10 points. Frankenmuth, Hemlock, and Nouvel Catholic Central all scored two team points each.
Williamston was paced by strong play from its doubles teams, all four of which reached at least the semifinal round. The No. 1 team of Delaney Nikolai and Caitlin Chick and the No. 3 team of Sarah Thelen and Julie Xu reached the finals. The No. 2 team of Emma Grooms and Lindsey Hirt and the No. 4 team of Carolina Marshall and Macy Pell both reached the semifinals.
Lansing Catholic was led in singles play by Mia Flynn. Flynn reached the semifinals at No. 2, where she lost in three sets to eventual state champion Brianna Riley of Grosse Ile. Calla Ramont reached the quarterfinals at No. 1 singles.
In doubles, a pair of Cougar teams reached the semifinals. Becca Hurth and Kasey Jacobs reached the semis at No. 1, while Marybeth Maddalena and Nicole Jarwan reached the semifinals at No. 2. Sabrina Spagnuolo and Liz VonAchen reached the quarterfinal round at No. 3 doubles.
Portland had a trio of singles players reach the elite eight. They were Katie Blake (No. 2 singles), Lysie Eldridge (No. 3 singles), and Chelsea Geiger (No. 4 singles). Portland’s No. 4 doubles team of Violet Thole and Peyton Lowery reached the semifinals, where they fell to the eventual state champions from Sacred Heart.
Madison Mertz was the top finisher for Frankenmuth. She reached the quarterfinals at No. 1 singles.
Nouvel Catholic Central was led by Abbey Hagen, who reached the quarterfinal round at No. 3 singles.