Homestead netters cruise to NSC tourney title, aim for another state berth

The first major task is over for the Homestead girls tennis team and now it's time to start writing the final chapter for the Highlanders' primary leaders, three-time state team champions and seniors Aly Coran and Carly Peck.

The Highlanders won six-of-seven flights and cruised to their fourth straight North Shore Conference championship last week and likely cruised to the WIAA sectional team championship at Greenfield on Wednesday.

Coach Jackie Egelhoff was pleased about the efforts last week and was looking forward to the opportunities that are now ahead of the Highlanders.

"I think they're (Coran and Peck) both excited," Egelhoff said. "This is their finale for high school and so it's a little tough (emotionally) for them. They're fighting hard and looking forward to team state (Oct. 21 and 22 in Madison). I think they're both going to enjoy it a little more this year."

Meanwhile, Nicolet and Whitefish Bay, which finished second and third, respectively, in the North Shore tourney, are vying for a state team tournament berth of their own in the sectional that is being played Thursday at Greenfield.

"I like the way that we're playing, and we have a positive attitude," Knights coach Tim Koppa said. "I know we might be the favorite (in the sectional), but we'll just have to see. We'll just have to wait and see."

"Our team is excited for sub-sectionals and sectionals," Blue Dukes coach Ingrid Hagerup said. "This is what we've worked hard for the entire season. It's finally here, and we're ready."

The first four finishers in flight one of singles and doubles and the winner of flight two in both singles and doubles automatically advance to the WIAA state individual tournament in at Nielsen Stadium in Madison on Oct. 13-15 while the state team tournament will be held back at Nielsen Stadium on Oct. 21-22.

Behind its dominant effort, Homestead scored 134 points for the overall North Shore title while Nicolet was second with 111 and Bay third with 93.

The best match of the finals was the top singles position where Coran, the 2008 and 2009 state singles champion, had to fend off Bay's determined Lily Hayes in a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 thriller.

"I was extremely proud of how Lily played against Aly (22-1)," Hagerup said. "Lily played her best tennis of the season thus far during that match."

"It was a good, tough match," Egelhoff said. In all of the remaining six flights, Homestead entries took on Nicolet competitors.

The Highlanders wound up sweeping the singles titles as Elizabeth Konon (28-0) did not drop a game in three matches at the second slot in beating Nicolet's Nina Gerard, 6-0, 6-0, in the final.

At third singles, Homestead's Mardee Merar continues her successful comeback from an early season injury by also cruising to the title, beating the Knights' Emma Wathen in the final.

Meanwhile, Alex Talyansky defeated Nicolet's Josie Docalavich (6-3, 6-2) in the final.

At first doubles, Peck and her partner Sophia Lococo improved to 28-0 holding off Nicolet's determined Erin and Sara Miller (6-4, 6-1), in the final while at second doubles Claire Songkakul and Michelle Levin defeated Niciolet's Erin Wathen and Michelle Margolies (6-3, 6-3).

Wathen and Margolis advanced to the final with a 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 thriller over Bay's Emma Kortbein and Katherine Giesa.

Nicolet's lone breakthrough against Homestead came at third doubles where the Knights' team of senior Claire Maxon and junior Mercedes Halaska defeated the Highlanders' Kacie Kelly and Carlie Swenson (6-4, 6-1) in the final.

"Those kids have been together for about a month and they've just been knocking on the door," Koppa said. "They finally got in."

Thirds in the tournament went to Nicolet's Emily Mone at first singles and Bay's Asia Butler at second singles, Emily Deblitz at third singles Allison Gregg at fourth singles, the second doubles team of Kortbein and Giesa and the third doubles duo of Carly Theder and Sasha Barkhaus.