Hampshire makes history with sectional championship
The Hampshire girls tennis team made history Friday by qualifying its first players for the state tournament.
On Saturday, the Whip-Purs made even more history. They won their first sectional championship, in the program's second season, by claiming the Elgin sectional by one point over Jacbos.
"It's extremely exciting," said Hampshire senior Kelsey Burke, who along with partner Vanassa Patthana earned the sectional-clinching point. "We've really built up from our first year."
Going into the third-place and championship matches, the Golden Eagles could only score 18 points as they had both their doubles in the title match. Hampshire had 18 points but had a chance to earn three more with Burke and Vanassa in the third-place match of the doubles and Kate Hougland in the singles championship match.
Hampshire coach Barry Hanrahan did not tell Hougland or the doubles team that a win from either would give the Whip-Purs the sectional title. He didn't want to place any extra pressure on them.
Burke and Patthana came through, beating Huntley's Sam Chapman and Ashley Pietrusiak, 6-4, 6-1.
"I was so excited," Patthana said. "I think we did really good. We've improved since last year. I really don't know what's going to happen because I've never been to state."
The difference between Hampshire and Jacobs, which was going for its seventh consecutive sectional title, was the play of Hampshire's other doubles team of Taylor Zilch and Emily Moser. The pair lost in the quarterfinals Friday, but had gained four team points by winning two matches.
"I don't want to leave out the other doubles team. Without their points we wouldn't have won," Hanrahan said. "It's really great that different parts of the team contributed, not just the kids from today."
Hougland gave Elgin freshman Jacey Sirinit her toughest match of the sectional, but Sirinit's power was too much. Sirinit (24-6) won the sectional title by beating Hougland, 6-1, 6-3. Before the title match Sirinit, who was the No. 1 seed, had lost just two games in her other three matches.
"The last match I got real nervous because it was the finals," Sirinit said. "I'm glad I pulled through."
The only points the Golden Eagles earned came from their two doubles teams which played each other in the final. Lindsey Gardeck and Kassandra Bernardo beat Marcilyn Rowan and Lauren Steinkamp, 6-3, 7-6 (2).
At Cary-Grove: Prairie Ridge won the team title at the Cary-Grove sectional, scoring 27 points. Crystal Lake Central was second with 23 and Crystal Lake South third with 22. The Gators qualified freshman Marisa Thome (2nd in singles) as well as the doubles teams of Rachel Boorom-Rachel Siemon (4th) and Stephanie Brunetti-Abbey Kolarczyk (2nd).