MUSKEGON — Reeths-Puffer finished third in Saturday's GMAA
tournament, with Whitehall placing fifth, but each team was able to
bring home a flight championship.
Whitehall's top doubles
flight, Avarie Bentz/Braelee Fogus, secured the championship and did it
in thrilling fashion, edging out North Muskegon's Gabrielle
Benedict/Anna Koman in a thrilling 7-6(5), 3-6, 14-12 match. The duo
also had an exciting semifinal matchup that went to a third-set
tiebreaker, defeating Mona Shores' Laynie Russell/Marina Cantu 7-6(4),
2-6, 10-7.
The Rockets' top highlight was the performance of
No. 2 singles player Hope Latsch, who won her second straight title at
the flight despite being seeded No. 4.
Latsch took the hard
way to the top spot, winning each of her first two matches in third-set
tiebreakers. She started the day with a hard-fought 6-4, 2-6, 10-8 win
over Western Michigan Christian's Sophia Fries, then eked out a 6-2,
5-7, 10-8 win over Mona Shores' Kendra Hylland in the semifinals. The
Rocket star then had her easiest match of the day in the finals,
dispatching Fruitport's Emma Fecher by a 6-3, 6-1 margin.
Reeths-Puffer's Kaitlyn Durow eyes a return shot while playing against North Muskegon's Anahera Leos during Saturday's GMAA tournament at R-P. Durow defeated Leos and was the runner-up at No. 4 singles, helping the Rockets finish in 3rd place.
Also
for R-P, Olivia Smith was runner-up at No. 1 singles, picking up a pair
of straight-set wins before falling to Fruitport's Josalynn Nowicki in
the finals, 6-2, 6-1. Kaitlyn Durow took a pair of wins at No. 4 singles
to finish second there, and the Rockets' No. 4 doubles team of Lauren
Slater/Grace Cosens edged a pair of opponents in third-set tiebreakers
on their way to another second-place finish.
For Whitehall,
Riley Shafer went 2-1 and played one of the longest matches of the day
in a valiant defeat to eventual No. 3 singles champion Grace Sheler of
North Muskegon. Shafer won the first set before Sheler rallied to edge
Shafer, 6-7(4), 6-3, 10-7. No. 3 doubles pair Emily VanDam/Bea Lewis
also went 2-1.
Rockets' No. 2 doubles pair Jayla
Brink/Kayleigh Brown and No. 3 doubles pair Brylee Gifford/Elisa Howard
each also posted a 2-1 record.
