CL Central wins sectional title

The Crystal Lake Central tandem of Jillian Wallace (left) and Evelyn Youel (right) won the doubles title Saturday for the Tigers during the Cary-Grove Sectional in Cary. Central won the sectional crown. (Sarah Nader - snader@shawmedia.com)

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CARY – Crystal Lake Central captured the singles and doubles titles and won the team championship Saturday at the Cary-Grove girls tennis sectional.

Jenna Wallace won the singles championship for the Tigers, defeating Crystal Lake South’s Marisa Thome, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, in the finals. Evelyn Youel and Jillian Wallace defeated the Gators’ Kelsey Laktash and Rachel Siemon, 6-4, 6-1, to win the doubles title for Central.

The Tigers won their second consecutive sectional championship with 26 points. They were followed by Prairie Ridge (21), Crystal Lake South (18) and Cary-Grove (17).

The strong wind, which blew the length of the courts, was a factor in all matches and forced players to adjust their games.

Jenna Wallace said it was like she was playing against both Thome and the wind in her championship match.

“You had two people you had to beat out there,” Jenna Wallace said. “You had to know what you could hit and what you couldn’t.”

Tigers coach Kerry Parrish said one of Wallace’s strengths is being able to adjust her game to different players and conditions.

“What [Wallace has] been good at all along is looking at what she did and correcting it,” Parrish said. “She was able to go to Plan B right way.”

It was a different sectional for Youel and Jillian Wallace, who qualified last year as the Tigers’ No. 2 doubles team. They entered as the top seed this year and won the Fox Valley Conference No. 1 doubles title.

Now, instead of just being happy to get to state, the teammates want to make their mark.

“I think we have a lot more goals for state this year,” Youel said.

After losing to a 9-16 seed in the first round at state last year and to a 17-32 seed in the fourth consolation round, it’s possible Youel and Jillian Wallace could be seeded as one of the top 32 teams this season.

“I don’t think it’s something we’ve really worried about,” Jillian Wallace said about the possibility of getting a seed.

“Obviously, we’d like to be seeded,” Youel added.

Also qualifying in singles were Prairie Ridge’s Hannah Gummerson and McHenry’s Emma Romme. Gummerson defeated Romme, 6-2, 6-2, in the third-place match.

It was the first time Romme, a senior, has qualified for state. Romme defeated the Wolves’ Callie Schmit, 6-0, 6-3, in the quarterfinals to qualify. After losing last year in the quarters, Romme did not want to end her high school career the same way.

“It feels worth it,” Romme said of making it to state. “This year, I gave it everything.”

Warriors coach Kyle Funkhouser said the quarterfinal loss last year definitely motivated his top player.

“You could tell she was upset last year,” Funkhouser said. “She was definitely ready to go [Saturday].”

In doubles, Cary-Grove’s Beth Hughes and Arley Bayer and Prairie Ridge’s Maggie Manno and Natalie Favia also qualified for state. Hughes and Bayer defeated Manno and Favia, 6-2, 7-5, in the third place match.

Manno and Favia qualified for state for the first time and had to beat two seeded teams to get there. In the second round, the Wolves’ pair defeated Kim Goodwin and Jacqueline Boorom, the No. 6 seed from Crystal Lake South. In the quarterfinals, they knocked off Katherine Steward and Nicole Nevicosi, the No. 4 seed from Belvidere North.

Prairie Ridge coach Sam Sweeney said his No. 2 doubles team elevated its play at the most important time in the season.

“They just got fired up,” Sweeney said. “They stepped it up and played well.”CARY – Crystal Lake Central captured the singles and doubles titles and won the team championship Saturday at the Cary-Grove girls tennis sectional.

Jenna Wallace won the singles championship for the Tigers, defeating Crystal Lake South’s Marisa Thome, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, in the finals. Evelyn Youel and Jillian Wallace defeated the Gators’ Kelsey Laktash and Rachel Siemon, 6-4, 6-1, to win the doubles title for Central.

The Tigers won their second consecutive sectional championship with 26 points. They were followed by Prairie Ridge (21), Crystal Lake South (18) and Cary-Grove (17).

The strong wind, which blew the length of the courts, was a factor in all matches and forced players to adjust their games.

Jenna Wallace said it was like she was playing against both Thome and the wind in her championship match.

“You had two people you had to beat out there,” Jenna Wallace said. “You had to know what you could hit and what you couldn’t.”

Tigers coach Kerry Parrish said one of Wallace’s strengths is being able to adjust her game to different players and conditions.

“What [Wallace has] been good at all along is looking at what she did and correcting it,” Parrish said. “She was able to go to Plan B right way.”

It was a different sectional for Youel and Jillian Wallace, who qualified last year as the Tigers’ No. 2 doubles team. They entered as the top seed this year and won the Fox Valley Conference No. 1 doubles title.

Now, instead of just being happy to get to state, the teammates want to make their mark.

“I think we have a lot more goals for state this year,” Youel said.

After losing to a 9-16 seed in the first round at state last year and to a 17-32 seed in the fourth consolation round, it’s possible Youel and Jillian Wallace could be seeded as one of the top 32 teams this season.

“I don’t think it’s something we’ve really worried about,” Jillian Wallace said about the possibility of getting a seed.

“Obviously, we’d like to be seeded,” Youel added.

Also qualifying in singles were Prairie Ridge’s Hannah Gummerson and McHenry’s Emma Romme. Gummerson defeated Romme, 6-2, 6-2, in the third-place match.

It was the first time Romme, a senior, has qualified for state. Romme defeated the Wolves’ Callie Schmit, 6-0, 6-3, in the quarterfinals to qualify. After losing last year in the quarters, Romme did not want to end her high school career the same way.

“It feels worth it,” Romme said of making it to state. “This year, I gave it everything.”

Warriors coach Kyle Funkhouser said the quarterfinal loss last year definitely motivated his top player.

“You could tell she was upset last year,” Funkhouser said. “She was definitely ready to go [Saturday].”

In doubles, Cary-Grove’s Beth Hughes and Arley Bayer and Prairie Ridge’s Maggie Manno and Natalie Favia also qualified for state. Hughes and Bayer defeated Manno and Favia, 6-2, 7-5, in the third place match.

Manno and Favia qualified for state for the first time and had to beat two seeded teams to get there. In the second round, the Wolves’ pair defeated Kim Goodwin and Jacqueline Boorom, the No. 6 seed from Crystal Lake South. In the quarterfinals, they knocked off Katherine Steward and Nicole Nevicosi, the No. 4 seed from Belvidere North.

Prairie Ridge coach Sam Sweeney said his No. 2 doubles team elevated its play at the most important time in the season.

“They just got fired up,” Sweeney said. “They stepped it up and played well.”