The Waverly Lady Tigers will be sending three sectional champions into Monday’s district tournament as the top seeds from the Southeast District.
Senior Claire Morrison will be headed back as the top seeded singles player, while sophomores Elle Shepherd and Mya Osborne will go as the top seeded doubles team.
All three of Waverly’s players — top-seeded Claire Morrison, Claire Shaffer and Kynton Beekman — had first-round byes.
In the second round, Morrison defeated Hillsboro’s Anderson 6-0, 6-0. Shaffer defeated Ironton’s Leith 6-0, 6-0. Beekman ran into Wheelersburg’s No. 1 player Claire Kaltenbach, falling 0-6, 1-6.
In the quarterfinals, Morrison defeated Ironton’s Virgin 6-0, 6-1. Shaffer saw her run end in a three-set loss to Hillsboro’s Adalyn Gaines 6-3, 1-6, 4-6.
In the semifinal round, Morrison faced Minford’s No. 1 player Addison Slusher and won 6-1, 6-1. In the finals, Morrison won by walkover as Gaines forfeited.
Claire Morrison finishes her high school with four consecutive sectional titles. Her first came in her freshman year playing doubles with Blossom Smith. She has followed that with three-straight singles championships.
“Her variety of shots and heads-up tennis was on full display today. When her serve is clicking like today it allows her to really open up and get a lead and she’s usually good at stretching leads once she pulls ahead,” said Waverly coach Matt Morrison. “Addy Slusher, Minford No. 1, had been playing some really solid tennis lately too, so we knew she’d create problems if we didn’t play well. Claire can use so many different kinds of shots and keeps opponents guessing.”
Coach Morrison was disappointed that they didn’t get to see Claire (Morrison) play in the title match because she was playing so well, but Hillsboro’s Gaines cited a strained hamstring and elected to pull out of the title match. Now Morrison will move on to the district tournament Monday, Oct. 5 where she will be looking to secure her third straight trip to the state tournament with the momentum from the SOC and sectional tournaments pushing her.
In doubles, the first round began with senior duo Selina Halko and Molly McKenize defeating their opponent from Valley 6-0, 6-3. Sophomores Elle Shepherd and Mya Osborne had a bye as the top seed.
In the second round, Osborne and Shepherd defeated Portsmouth 6-1, 6-3. Halko and McKenize saw their tournament run end in a loss to a team from Ironton 4-6, 0-6.
In the quarterfinals, Osborne and Shepherd defeated Minford 6-1, 6-1. In the semifinal match, Shepherd and Osborne defeated the fourth-seeded Ironton duo Jenna Compliment and Libby Preston 6-0, 6-3.
Then in the final, Shepherd and Osborne survived a tight first set, winning 7-5, 6-3 over the second-seeded Portsmouth duo of Sky Mays and Ava Kirby.
“Mya and Elle did a good job navigating through this tournament. They had a few close sets here and there, but made it through without dropping a set and came up with good shots when they needed to,” Coach Morrison said.
“This qualifies them to go to districts for the second straight year, and just like Claire, we’re hoping to keep the good playing going. Every time you win a match, especially when you maybe don’t play great the whole time, it just builds your confidence that you will find a way to win. That’s what Mya and Elle seem to be able to do.”
Morrison, Shepherd and Osborne all advance to Monday’s district tournament at Ohio University as the No. 1 seed. Play begins at 10 a.m. One singles player and one doubles team will advance to the state tourney. State tournament action will begin Thursday, Oct. 15 at 9 a.m. at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason.