Thrilling Semifinal Showdown
In a thrilling semifinal showdown at the Harrison girls tennis regional on Tuesday, Kokomo narrowly defeated Lewis Cass with a score of 3-2.
Kokomo’s Dominance
The Kats secured a robust start thanks to Raigan Heflin, who dominated her No. 1 singles match, taking it 6-0, 6-0. Kokomo’s success continued as they executed a strong double performance, sweeping both matches.
The No. 1 doubles team of Averie Stiner and Izzy Barker triumphed with a score of 6-2, 7-5, while Olivia Downing and Sydney Colescott fought hard at No. 2 doubles, ultimately winning 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 to clinch the decisive third point for their team.
Lewis Cass Efforts
On the other side, Lewis Cass showcased their own talents, with Guadalupe Gonzalez and Eliana Cicalo both securing points in singles play. Gonzalez won her match at No. 2 singles 6-4, 6-1, and Cicalo achieved an impressive 6-0, 6-1 victory at No. 3 singles.
“They played well, fought hard and gave it their all.”
The Kings, who finished the season with a 12-4 record, had relied heavily on their strong singles performances. However, Katie Hurst, typically their No. 1 singles player, took only her third loss of the season.
Coach Hurst had expected more from his doubles teams but faced challenges, particularly against Kokomo’s formidable No. 1 singles player. Hurst had hoped the doubles teams could secure at least one match but they ended up losing in tightly contested battles.
Challenges and Acknowledgments
The coach acknowledged the difficulties they faced, particularly with Hurst’s recent lower back pain leading to limited participation towards the season’s end, which likely impacted their performance.
“She was determined to play despite the pain, so I let her, but we ultimately decided she needed some rest to prepare for sectionals.”
Softball and Boys Golf Highlights
In a separate match, the Cass softball team faced a tough loss to Oak Hill in the opening round of the Class 2A Oak Hill Sectional, with the final score being 2-1 after nine innings. The game remained tied through the initial innings before a critical error allowed an Oak Hill runner to score the winning run.
Individual performances included Kami Silcox, who contributed two hits, while Amma Fitzhugh pitched an entire nine innings, allowing only six hits without any earned runs, and striking out eight batters. Cass concluded its season with an 8-14 record, whereas Oak Hill advanced to improve their standing to 20-6.
Meanwhile, in boys golf, Logansport experienced success at Dykeman Park, winning a sectional preview match against Twin Lakes, Rochester, and Winamac. The team was led by several strong performances, including Louis Rozzi and Graham Taylor, both shooting 38, while Eli Baldwin scored 39, and Logan Lange finished with 41.
Notably, Twin Lakes’ Leo Dellinger stood out as the medalist with a striking 1-over par 35.
