Holland Christian’s Iyla Holmes Shines at Division 3 State Finals
At the Division 3 state finals held on May 31, Holland Christian’s Iyla Holmes showcased her impressive tennis skills by advancing to the state finals in the No. 4 singles category. Although she emerged victorious in a nail-biting semifinal match against Mia Owings of East Grand Rapids with scores of 1-6, 7-6(6), and 7-6(5), her championship run concluded with a loss to top-seeded Helen Benjamin from Detroit Country Day, who won 6-3, 6-2.
Holland Christian Team Performance
The Maroons collectively scored 13 points, securing seventh place overall in the tournament, while Hamilton finished just behind them at ninth with a total of nine points. Detroit Country Day claimed the title with 34 points.
In addition to Holmes’ impressive performance, Holland Christian’s Esmay Klingenberg had a bye in the first round and proceeded to win her next match decisively, 6-2, 6-1, before exiting in the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, at No. 3 doubles, Lily Wierenga and Chloe Tait advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating Grosse Ile but were ultimately eliminated by the top-seeded team from Bloomfield Hills Marian.
At No. 2 doubles, the Holland Christian duo of Hope Bruinsma and Isa Van Klompenberg triumphed over Vicksburg in their second-round match before falling to Cranbrook Kingswood in the quarterfinals. Other players from the Maroons who advanced to the second round but did not progress further included Gabi Rooks at No. 1 singles, Gamryn Nadig at No. 2, and the No. 4 doubles team of Lucia Van Klompenberg and Izzy Delcalso; they all exited in their respective matches.
Hamilton’s Strong Performances
From Hamilton, Abigail Atwood and Sophia Blauwkamp managed to win a tough three-set match against Parma Western to reach the quarterfinals, where they were defeated by Chelsea. Meanwhile, Allison Lezman and Sophia Jorba Martinez also had a strong showing at No. 3 doubles with a second-round victory over Vicksburg, yet fell to Cranbrook Kingswood in the quarters.
The performances did not go unrecorded, as Erin Meiste from Hamilton had a bye and then advanced to beat Vicksburg in a closely-contested match before bowing out in the quarterfinals. Other Hamilton results included losses in earlier rounds for Isabelle Troost at No. 1 and Kylie Rietema at No. 4.
West Ottawa’s Noteworthy Performance in Division 1
In Division 1, the West Ottawa girls tennis team also had a noteworthy performance, finishing tied for ninth after scoring 10 points. Star player Kallyn Gaul alongside Lovelle Kim made it to the semifinals at No. 2 doubles, only to lose in a three-set match to Utica Eisenhower after fighting through a quarterfinal victory over Clarkston.
Evie Price at No. 1 singles achieved a victory in the first round but was defeated in the next by Ann Arbor Pioneer’s Rachel He. Danielle Lebster, competing at No. 2 singles, turned heads by beating Audrey Yu after a bye but lost in the quarterfinals to Stoney Creek’s Alison Doka. In doubles play, the team’s first pairs faced tough competition, with some advancing to later rounds, while others fell early to dominant opponents.
Conclusion
As the tennis season wraps up, these performances highlight the competitive nature and skill level of local high school athletes in Michigan’s tennis landscape.
