New blood heads to state

Nelle Youel of Crystal Lake Central returns the ball to Marisa Thome of Crystal Lake South on Saturday during the championship match of the Cary-Grove Tennis Sectional. Youel beat Thome to win the singles tournament. (Nick Dentamaro – ndentamaro@nwherald.com)

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CARY – Six of the 12 local players who qualified for the IHSA Girls Tennis State Tournament from the Cary-Grove Sectional on Saturday will head to state for the first time.

For Prairie Ridge’s No. 2 doubles team – senior Carrie Keahl and junior Haley Ljunggren – it was the first time either had competed at sectionals and the first season Ljunggren has played on the varsity team.

Keahl and Ljunggren finished third at C-G, defeating Rachel Boorom and Rachel Siemon of Crystal Lake South, 6-1, 3-6, 7-5, in the third-place match.

Boorom and Siemon also were state qualifiers for the first time.

Keahl and Ljunggren nearly made it to the championship match, losing a three-setter to the Gators’ No. 1 doubles team of Abbey Kolarczyk and Stephanie Brunetti in the semifinals.

“I think we played good competition,” Ljunggren said. “It wasn’t easy.”

The victory in the third-place match was some redemption for Keahl and Ljunggren after losing to Boorom and Siemon in a lopsided match this season.

“It felt nice [to beat them], finally,” Keahl said.

Also qualifying for state for the first time were South freshman Marisa Thome, who finished second in singles, and Crystal Lake Central freshman Jenna Wallace, who took third.

Gators coach Don Nead said playing at No. 1 singles most of the season and qualifying for state will improve Thome’s game.

“This is a great experience for her,” Nead said. “She’s got a great future ahead.”

Prairie Ridge’s Allison Murphy and Carolyn Huerth lived up to their No. 1 seed in doubles, losing just three games in four matches to win the championship. Both will head to state for the first time in doubles after qualifying in singles – Huerth last year and Murphy in 2007.

“I think we’ve improved at lot,” Murphy said of moving to doubles this season. “We’ve become better doubles players.”

With one loss this year and some good quality matches, the pair are hoping for a top-eight seed at state.

“I’m more excited,” Huerth said of qualifying in doubles. “I think me and Allison can do really well.”

Nelle Youel cruised to the singles championship for Crystal Lake Central, also losing just three games in four matches. Youel, a junior, also qualified for state the previous two seasons.

Despite the experience, Youel said she is more nervous this year than in the past. Part of that may be the lack of competition she has faced, winning every match she has played this year without dropping a set.

“[I’m afraid] the first hard girl I face I won’t be used to the pressure,” Youel said. “I’m interested to see how I can do against those kind of players.”

Also qualifying in singles was Prairie Ridge’s Hannah Gummerson, who placed fourth.

Prairie Ridge won the team competition with 27 points followed by Central (23), South (22) and C-G (10).