LADY VIKINGS TENNIS WIN ELLSWORTH INVITATIONAL

By Staff for www.mcpherson-county-ks.com & www.Facebook.com/mcphersoncountyks

            ELLSWORTH – Last Thursday, the Smoky Valley girls tennis team traveled to Ellsworth for the eight-team Ellsworth Invitational and came home with a team championship as well as a pair of individual champions.

            “I thought all six of the girls played well throughout the day,” noted Lady Viking head coach Vince Warbinton. “I was extremely impressed with the play of both our doubles teams.”

            The Lady Vikings won the team championship with 59 points, finishing five points ahead of runner-up Sterling with 54 while host Ellsworth finished third and Phillipsburg was fourth. Chapman, Victoria, Hoisington and Wabaunsee were the other four teams competing.

            Both the Smoky Valley doubles teams, number one doubles duo of Karee Adam and Campbell Gaskill and number two doubles tandem of Lily Heline and Kayla Norberg, finished the day 3-0 and came home with first-place championship medals.

            Talking about the outstanding day for his two tandem of doubles players, coach Warbinton added, “Karee (Adam) and Campbell (Gaskill) played a very tough and talented Sterling team in the number one doubles final. I thought they rose to the challenge of playing a team that finished fourth in the Class 3-2-1A state tournament last season and played a great match. Our number two doubles team of Lily (Heline) and Kalya (Norberg) continues to play very solid tennis with another first-place finish.”

            Lena Rauchholz, playing at number one singles, finished out the day 2-1 and earned a second-place medal for the Lady Vikings while Kelsee Adam went 2-2 and placed fifth.

            Coach Warbinton concluded his post invitational reflections by saying, “Lena (Rauchholz) played great matches all day resulting in another appearance in the final match at number one singles while Kelsee (Adam) placing fifth in number two singles was a good result for our team score as well.”

SMOKY VALLEY LADY VIKING TENNIS at Ellsworth Invitational

TEAM STANDINGS: 1. LADY VIKINGS – 59; 2. Sterling – 54; 3. Ellsworth – 42; 4. Phillipsburg – 40; 5. Chapman – 36; 6. Victoria – 20; 7. Hoisington – 19; 8. Wabaunsee – 6.

LADY VIKING INDIVIDUAL RESULTS:

# 1 Singles: Lena Rauchholz went 2-1 and finished 2^nd.

# 2 Singles: Kelsee Adam went 2-2 and finished 5^th.

# 1 Doubles: Karee Adam/Campbell Gaskill went 3-0 and finished 1^st.

# 2 Doubles: Lily Heline/Kayla Norberg went 3-0 and finished 1^st.

(The Staff covering McPherson County Activities can be reached by email at crossdovewriter@gmail.com)