The South Tama girls tennis team including Abbie Morgan, Serena Lowe, Courtney Anderson, Brycelyn Haughey, Bri Nelson and Laura Fernandez-Garcia competed at WaMaC on Tuesday, May 2. The Trojans are coached by Steve Bearden. Photo Provided

By Steve Bearden

Head Girls Tennis Coach

Brushing aside a handful of potential obstacles, the South Tama County Girls Tennis Team recorded a top four finish at the WAMAC Conference Meet on May 2. The Trojans crowned a conference champion in the #3 Doubles Team of Serena Lowe and Abbie Morgan.

Facing a two hour-ten minute drive, the Trojans set off at 5:45AM to make the trip to Maquoketa on a cold, windy day. After more than ten hours of play, STC found itself near the top of the team standings- trailing just Mount Vernon, Western Dubuque, and Marion. Mount Vernon recorded their second consecutive team championship.

The #3 Doubles Team of Serena Lowe/Abbie Morgan proved the momentum they have built throughout the year is no fluke as they stormed their way to a WAMAC Conference Championship by defeating the top two seeded teams in their division. The talented duo defeated Abi Barnes/Allyson Lema from Maquoketa 8-1 to get their run started. Next, they battled to defeat the #1 Seeds of Calista Dittmer/Baylea Bruce from Marion by a score of 8-6. Finally, they knocked aside the #2 Seeds from Western Dubuque, Ally Besler/Kaitlyn Clemen, 8-1 to claim their first conference championship.

Doubles partners Abbie Morgan and Serena Lowe along with coach Steve Bearden earned a conference champion title at the girls WaMaC tennis tournament on Tuesday, May 2. Photo Provided

Senior Brycelyn Haughey fared well at #1 Singles as she finished in third place in a field littered with potential state qualifiers. Haughey easily defeated Delaney Clark of Maquoketa in her first match 8-4. The #2 Seeded Morgan Hefel of Western Dubuque proved too tough for Haughey as she fell 0-8. Bouncing back, Haughey achieved some revenge as she defeated Independence’s Jaden McGrath 8-6 after losing 0-8 earlier in the season.

Senior Serena Lowe, competing in her first season of tennis, recorded a third place finish at #5 Singles. She defeated Abi Barnes of Maquoketa 8-0 in the first round. The #2 Seed, Jessica Barske of Mount Vernon, was too experienced as she downed Lowe by a score of 8-0. To place third, Lowe surged past Kylie Coonrad from Independence 8-1.

Junior Bri Nelson placed fourth at #2 Singles. She defeated Maquoketa’s Lizzie Newell 8-2 in her first match. Nelson saw the #1 Seed Brittney Darrow of Mount Vernon across the net in her second match of the day. Darrow posted an 8-0 win over the player from South Tama. Nelson fell to a consistent Abby Davis of Independence in her final match 0-8.

Courtney Anderson represented STC at #3 Singles. She came away with a fourth place conference finish at her first WAMAC Conference Meet. Anderson took out Maquoketa’s Alysia Aise by a score of 8-4 to start her quest. In her next match, Anderson fell to the #2 Seed Sammy Kruse of Western Dubuque 0-8. Finally, Anderson was defeated by Nicole Toppin of Marion in her final match by a 1-8 score.

Laura Fernandez-Garcia and Abbi Morgan both finished in fifth place after recording identical 1-1 records on the day. At #4 Singles, Fernandez-Garcia lost to Independence’s Kelsey Cain 2-8 before defeating Maquoketa’s Kristina Roepcke 8-1. At #6 Singles, Morgan fell to Marion’s Cayla Attwood 1-8 before battling past Maquoketa’s Allyson Lema 8-1.

South Tama’s #1 Doubles Team of Brycelyn Haughey/Bri Nelson finished in fourth place. The Trojans downed Independence’s Kelsey Cain/Jaden McGrath 8-6 before falling 0-8 to the #2 seeded team of Brittney Darrow/Katie Wycoff from Mount Vernon. Western Dubuque’s Morgan Hefel/Katelyn Becker recorded an 8-0 win over Haughey/Nelson to claim third place.

At #2 Doubles, Courtney Anderson/Laura Fernandez-Garcia finished in 5th Place. They fell to Western Dubuque’s Rachel Ormord/Sammy Kruse 3-8 before defeating Alysia Aise/Kristina Roepcke of Maquoketa by a score of 8-3.