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Sioux Falls Lincoln moves into lead over Rapid City Stevens in two-day tournament

roger merriam, watertown public opinion
·5 min read

SIOUX FALLS — Eastern South Dakota Conference champion Aberdeen Central is sitting in fifth place and Watertown sixth after the opening day of the state Class AA high school girls tennis tournament on Thursday.

Sioux Falls Lincoln held a 321-276 lead over Rapid City Stevens for the top spot, followed by Mitchell at 262 and Sioux Falls Jefferson 261.

Aberdeen Central scored 237.5 points, advancing Julia Knie and Avery Tennant into the first flight doubles championship and Laney Gonsor (No. 3 singles) and Reese Comstock (No. 5 singles) into semifinal matches.

Watertown scored 184 points and advanced Leyla Meester (No. 2) and Karlie Schulte (No. 6) into singles semifinal matches.

Watertown's Ellie Zink hits the ball during the opening day of the state Class AA high school girls tennis tournament on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023 at Sioux Falls.
Watertown's Ellie Zink hits the ball during the opening day of the state Class AA high school girls tennis tournament on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023 at Sioux Falls.

"It was a great day as we still have all of the girls playing tomorrow (Friday)" said Watertown head coach Ryan Zink. "Every girl played a lot of tennis today and I am so proud of how they competed."

Ellie Zink and Faith Berg will play for fifth place at No. 1 and No. 3 singles, respectively, and Cayda Weiss for ninth at No. 5 singles for Watertown. Zink-Meester (No. 1), Berg-Sophia Nichols (No. 2) and Weiss-Schulte (No. 3) are each in the fifth-place semifinals in doubles.

Livia Douglas will play for fifth place at No. 4 singles and Knie for ninth place at No. 1 singles for Aberdeen Central. Comstock and Olivia Geier are in the third-place match at No. 3 doubles and Gonsor and Livia Douglas are in the fifth-place semis at No. 2 doubles.

Opening-Day Team Scores — Sioux Falls Lincoln 321, Rapid City Stevens 276, Mitchell 262, Sioux Falls Jefferson 261, Aberdeen Central 237.5, Watertown 184, O'Gorman 163.5, Brandon Valley 148.5, Yankton 89, Brookings 72.5, Harrisburg 64.5, Sioux Falls Washington 38.5, Sioux Falls Roosevelt 15.5 and Rapid City Central 0.

Watertown's Cayda Weiss reaches to hit the ball as teammate Karlie Schulte (left) looks on in a third-flight doubles match during the opening day of the state Class AA high school girls tennis tournament on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023 at Sioux Falls.
Watertown's Cayda Weiss reaches to hit the ball as teammate Karlie Schulte (left) looks on in a third-flight doubles match during the opening day of the state Class AA high school girls tennis tournament on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023 at Sioux Falls.

Watertown Results

Ellie Zink (No. 1 Singles) — Def. Julia Knie, Aberdeen Central, 6-1, 6-3; lost to Avery Summers, SF Jefferson, 6-4, 6-2; def. Lucy Koziara, O'Gorman, 10-7. In fifth-place match.

Leyla Meester (No. 2 Singles) — Def. Avery Tennant, Aberdeen Central, 6-2, 6-3. In semifinals.

Faith Berg (No. 3 Singles) — Def. Lauren Betsworth, SF Roosevelt, 6-2, 6-0; lost to Laney Gonsor, Aberdeen Central, 6-2, 6-0; def. Melia Thelen, Brandon Valley, 10-6. In fifth-place match.

Sophia Nichols (No. 4 Singles) — Def. Elizabeth Morgans, SF Washington, 6-2, 6-2; lost to Grace Miner, SF Lincoln, 3-6, 6-3, 10-7; lost to Sarah Jamous, O'Gorman, 10-2. Eliminated.

State AA Tennis Results Link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vTK8fQbjTR9Yl9ThcJkoEMldvUmUS-AcTpmENdCJedqwYSd2cOCILLjj5Gw9c3_AtVIU1MJf

Cayda Weiss (No. 5 Singles) — Lost to Zoriah VanDeVendel, SF Washington, 6-4, 6-4; def. Riplie Petersen, SF Roosevelt, 10-0; def. Gabriella Wabwire, Harrisburg, 10-2. In ninth-place match.

Karlie Schulte (No. 6 Singles) — Def. Josie Bertrand, Brookings, 6-0, 6-0; def. Reagan Morrell, Brandon Valley, 6-7 (5), 7-5, 10-3. In semifinals.

Zink-Meester (No. 1 Doubles) — Def. Kara Gary-Madelyn Ahlemeier, SF Washington, 6-0, 6-0; lost to Avery Summers-Samantha Smith, SF Jefferson, 6-4, 7-6 (2). In fifth-place semis.

Berg-Nichols (No. 2 Doubles) — Def. Katelyn Connelly-Hadley Garry, O'Gorman, 6-3, 6-1; lost to Sylvie Mortimer-Ella Potvin, RC Stevens, 6-3, 6-2. In fifth-place semis.

Weiss-Schulte (No. 3 Doubles) — Def. Karolyn Koerner-Meagan Scott, Yankton, 4-6, 6-4, 10-3; lost to Katie Morgan-Matteah Graves, Mitchell, 6-4, 4-6, 10-6. In fifth-place semis.

Avery Tennant of Aberdeen Central hits a return shot during a second-flight singles match during the opening day of the state Class AA high school girls tennis tournament on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023 at Sioux Falls.
Avery Tennant of Aberdeen Central hits a return shot during a second-flight singles match during the opening day of the state Class AA high school girls tennis tournament on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023 at Sioux Falls.

Aberdeen Central Results

Julia Knie (No. 1 Singles) — Lost to Ellie Zink, Watertown, 6-1, 6-3; def. Sophie Tanner, Brookings, 10-1. In ninth-place match.

Avery Tennant (No. 2 Singles) — Def. Erika Starr, Harrisburg, 6-3, 6-4; lost to Leyla Meester, Watertown, 6-2, 6-3; lost to Samantha Smith, SF Jefferson, 10-6. Eliminated.

Laney Gonsor (No. 3 Singles) — Def. Kili Cole, RC Central, 6-2, 6-0; def. Faith Berg, Watertown, 6-2, 6-3. In semifinals.

Livia Douglas (No. 4 Singles) — Def. Vada Jacoby, SF Roosevelt, 6-1, 6-1; lost to Katie Morgan, Mitchell, 7-6 (3), 6-7 (0), 10-7; def. Sophie Menden, Brandon Valley, 10-5. In fifth-place match.

Reese Comstock (No. 5 Singles) — Def. Riplie Petersen, SF Roosevelt, 6-0, 6-1; def. Zoriah VanDeVendel, SF Washington, 6-1, 6-1. In semifinals.

Riley O'Keefe (No. 6 Singles) — Def. Meagan Scott, Yankton, 6-0, 6-1; lost to Matteah Graves,Mitchell, 4-6, 6-2, 10-4; lost to Savannah Vander Zee, SF Jefferson, 10-7. Eliminated..

Knie-Tennant (No. 1 Doubles) — Def. Mckenzie Vickery-Erika Starr, Harrisburg, 6-1, 6-2; def. Nora-Sabrina Krajewski, Yankton, 6-4, 6-4; Def. Peyton Ogle-Arabella Scott, RC Stevens, 4-6, 6-3, 10-8. In championship.

Gonsor-Douglas (No. 2 Doubles) — Def. Abigail Paulsen-Lauren Betsworth, SF Roosevelt, 6-2, 6-0; lost to Carsyn Weich-Elly Clement, Mitchell, 6-3, 4-6 10-8. In fifth-place semifinals.

Comstock-Olivia Geier (No. 3 Doubles) — Def. Lilly Deming-Raegan Patton, RC Central, 6-0, 6-0; def. Sarah Jamous-Wilnel Farhat, O'Gorman, 6-1, 6-3; lost to Julia Hedrick-Angela Ge, SF Lincoln, 6-3, 6-3. In third-place match.

Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Watertown, Aberden Central teams open play in state AA girls tennis tourney