After each team cruised to convincing semifinal district victories on Monday afternoon, Trenton and Chillicothe met up for the Class 1, District 15 girls tennis championship on Tuesday afternoon, with the rivals meeting head-to-head for the third time this season.
In matching the score from a late-season victory at Trenton High School, Chillicothe, this time holding home court advantage, was able to survive a spirited effort by the Lady Bulldogs to win 5-4, sending the Lady Hornets on to the state sectional round on Monday, October 12th in Odessa against Bishop LeBlond.
In winning the district championship, Chillicothe got victories in four of the six singles matches, with Cami Carpenter downing Morgan Dolan at #2 singles, 6-1, 6-love; Leah Laurenco defeating Alaina Overton at #4 singles 6-4, 6-3; Rylee Washburn claiming a 6-4, 6-4 straight sets triumph over Emilee Lovell at #5 singles; and at #6 singles, Oliva Anderson, in three sets, taking the 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 win over Lydia Leininger.
Trenton’s singles wins came from #1 entry Lexi Gott, a 6-2, 6-love blitz over Delaney May, and Mallory Sole, who grabbed a hard-earned win at #3 singles, taking down Megan Sisson 7-5, 4-6, 6-2.
Trenton had a strong doubles effort, taking two of three matches, with Gott and Dolan sweeping May and Sisson 8-love, and Sole and Overton grinding out a 9-7 victory over Carpenter and Laurenco. Needing one victory in doubles to secure the district title, the Lady Hornets team of Washburn and Anderson defeated Lovell and Leininger of Trenton 8-3.
At Odessa on Monday afternoon, four district champions will meet in sectional competition, with the winners advancing to the state quarterfinals, also to be played on Monday. Chillicothe and LeBlond’s duel will match up the District 15 and 16 champions, with 16-0 Odessa hosting Lincoln Prep in the other Round of 16 duel. The winners advance to the quarterfinal round, with that survivor advancing to the state semifinals on Friday, October 23rd at 9 o’clock in the morning in Springfield.
Trenton’s final duel record to the fall season finishes at 4-6, with Chillicothe moving to 7-5. LeBlond’s mark is 8-3, with Lincoln Prep at 8-5.
