Bulldogs wrap up 3A title early

October 11, 2011 at 9:35am by Marianne Bartman

High school tennis: Bulldogs wrap up 3A title early

OREM — The elation and energy surrounding Judge Memorial's Katie Iwasaki after her triumph in No. 3 singles at the 3A state tennis championship epitomized high school athletics.

Long after celebrating with teammates, the sophomore was still shaking with emotion and tears as she described how she felt about the victory.

"It feels amazing," Iwasaki said after a tough 7-5, 7-5 win over Snow Canyon's Bergen Nelson at Timpanogos High on Monday. "They (her opponents) came out really strong and it was tough. But I have so much more confidence now and I'm a lot more positive."

Iwasaki's title was part of a championship effort for the Bulldogs, who tallied 22 points in the team standings to beat out a formidable Snow Canyon team, which totaled 14 points.

"I knew coming into the day it would be tight," Judge head coach Lani Wilcox said, referring to her team's slim two-point lead. "When Ogden (No. 1 doubles Abbey Anjewierden and Meredith Tribe) beat Snow Canyon (Abbey Hafen and Madi Harrison) we clinched the championship. So I told (Iwasaki) that and she let out a big sigh."

Wilcox said she also told her No. 2 doubles team of the good news, urging them to "just go out and have fun."

"They (Alyssa Corbett and Ali Clayton) are my seniors, and they've really come together this season," Wilcox said. "In the past, sometimes they've got that deer-in-the-headlights look, but they really put their heads down and played well."

Corbett and Clayton took their coach's advice and defeated Park City's Natalie Frost and Lauren Weed, 6-1, 6-1.

A pair of freshman — Pine View's Lacey Hancock and Judge's Whitney Weisberg — dropped just four games each during the tournament en route to state titles.

Hancock defeated Cydnee Wilkinson of Dixie, 6-1, 6-0, in No. 1 singles, while Weisberg beat Snow Canyon's Kennedy Neilson, 6-2, 6-0, in No. 2 singles.

Snow Canyon — which finished a distant 10th in the 4A state tourney last year — had a stellar showing, qualifying two singles players and a pair of doubles teams this time around.

"Where we've come from last year is a long way, and I'm really proud of our team, every one of them," Snow Canyon head coach John Baggaley said.

Dixie, Park City and Ogden all tied for third place, while Pine View and Spanish Fork finished sixth and seventh, respectively.

3A girls tennis state tournament

Monday at Timpanogos High School

Team scores

1. Judge, 22; 2. Snow Canyon, 14; 3 (tie), Dixie, Ogden, Park City, 8; 6. Pine View, 7; 7. Spanish Fork, 6; 8. Grantsville, 5.

Individual results

First singles

Semifinals — Lacey Hancock, Pine View def. Emily Murnin, Judge, 6-2, 6-1; Cydnee Wilkinson, Dixie def. Karlson Solveig, Park City, 6-3, 6-4. Championship — Hancock def. Wilkinson, 6-1, 6-0.

Second singles

Semifinals — Whitney Weisberg, Judge def. Janessa Watts, Dixie, 6-2, 6-0; Kennedy Neilson, Snow Canyon def. Marissa Christensen, Spanish Fork, 6-4, 6-1. Championship — Weisberg def. Neilson, 6-2, 6-0.

Third singles

Semifinals — Katie Iwasaki, Judge def. Kylie Hardin, Dixie, 6-0, 6-0; Bergen Nelson, Snow Canyon def. Caitlyn Keenan, Juan Diego, 2-6, 6-0, 6-1. Championship — Iwasaki def. Nelson, 7-5, 7-5.

First doubles

Semifinals — Abbey Hafen/Madi Harrison, Snow Canyon def. Dani Lecher/McKenna Tyschsen, Park City, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3; Abbey Anjewierden/Meredith Tribe, Ogden def. Julia Corbett/Lizzie Loughridge, Judge, 6-1, 6-1. Championship — Anjewierden/Tribe def. Hafen/Harrison, 6-3, 6-2.

Second doubles

Semifinals — Allyssa Corbett/Ali Clayton, Judge def. Mckelle Borence/Emily Till, Snow Canyon, 6-1, 6-0; Natalie Frost/Lauren Weed def. Emily Sheffield/Tessa Welsh, Ogden, 0-6, 7-5, 6-2. Championship — Corbett/Clayton def. Frost/Weed, 6-1, 6-1.