The Alton High varsity and junior varsity tennis teams following Monday’s Robert Logan Duals Tournament. The AHS varsity won the tourney, going 3-0 without losing a match.
For The Telegraph
ALTON – The Robert Logan Tennis Invite was a casualty of the September heat wave. Record-breaking high temperatures forced numerous high school sports cancellations, and the Alton High tourney named for a popular late coach was one of them. But AHS coach Jesse Macias wasn’t satisfied to completely skip a girls tennis season without honoring his late friend.
It took until near the end of the regular season to do so, but Macias and the Alton tennis family were able to revamp the format and came up with the four-team Robert Logan Duals, which took place on Monday, a school holiday, at Gordon Moore Park and the AHS courts.
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Besides AHS and Marquette, the four-team format included Collinsville and the Alton junior varsity. The AHS JV team stepped in to replace Althoff, which withdrew Saturday night.
Alton won the tournament without dropping a match, going 3-0 with three 6-0 wins. Collinsville was second at 2-1; Marquette defeated the Alton junior varsity and went 1-2 to place third, with the AHS junior varsity 0-3 in fourth place.
Five-year-old Eveyn Logan, neice of the late robert Logan, gets ready to hand the championship trophy of Monday’s Robert Logan duals tournament to the host Alton Redbirds, after they swept the field en route to the championship. Robert Logan, who passed away 10 years ago after a battle with cancer, was a former AHS coach.
For The Telegraph
The Alton-against-Marquette city championship match was originally scheduled for Monday, so the Redbirds and Explorers squared off in one of the duals, with Alton claiming the unofficial city crown with a 6-0 win.
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“We wanted to play the original tournament with 16,” Macias said. “It’s an absolute grind, but we were happy to finish it today. Robert meant a lot to Alton tennis, and this is the 10-year anniversary of the tournament. His mom came out and spent time with the players, and I know it means a lot to her and the Logan family. We love seeing Theresa. She came out with Robert’s niece and helped us pass out awards.
“We had four quality teams locked in for the tournament,” Macias said, “but Belleville Althoff had to drop out over the weekend. Fortunately, our junior varsity stepped in, and they got to play three varsity matches. There is no doubt in my mind that if Robert Logan were still with us, he would have enjoyed the day. There was a lot of good tennis and sportsmanship.
In Alton’s varsity win over Marquette, the Redbirds got singles wins from Laila Kiger and Madyson Henkhaus. Doubles winners included the teams of McKenna Dondanville and Genna Roark, Lydia Schrumpf and Ellie Hanebutt, Caroline Cannon and Vail Schwaab and Sadie Perkins and Olivia Scarborough.
Kiger defeated Marquette’s Sarah Moehn 6-4, 6-3 at No. 1 singles, while Henkhaus beat Lilly Hannigan of Marquette 6-1, 6-1.
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In doubles, Dondanville and Roark beat Izzy Hough and Mia Lopez 5-7, 6-3, 10-7; Schrumpf and Hanebutt defeated Grace Fischer and Clara Brass of Marquette 6-1, 6-1; Cannon and Schwaab downed Sophia Waters and Charlotte Kohl 6-4, 6-2 and Perkins and Scarborough defeated Avery Conrad and Corrine Janek 6-1, 6-0.
Marquette coach Kathy Claywell said some of her team’s individual players shined.
“Although we beat the Alton JV, we had some runners-up at No. 1 doubles by Mia Lopez and Izzy Hough,” Claywell said. “They won against Alton’s JV after winning 12 games in a row, and they also won against Collinsville in a first-set tiebreaker and second-set win. They got off to a slow start, but rebounded nicely.”
In Marquette’s 4-2 win over the Alton junior varsity, the Explorers’ Sarah Moehn beat Kylie Stenkuhler 6-1, 6-1 at No. 1 singles and Lilly Hannigan beat Finley Kamp 6-0, 6-0 at No.2 singles.
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In doubles matches, Marquette’s Lopez and Hough beat Isabel Linley and Lyla Cowan 7-5, 6-1; Alton’s Chloe Schrumpf and Izzy Tarrant beat Marquette’s Grace Fischer and Claira Brass 6-3, 6-1; Marquette’s Sophia Waters and Charlotte Kohls beat Erin Crawford and Olivia Dodd 7-5, 6-0 and Alton’s Layla Hipppen and Chamille Russel defeated Avery Conrad and Corrine Janek. Crawford was forced to withdraw after the first five games of the No. 3 doubles match, and she was replaced by CeCe Macropolous.
“Also, the No. 3 doubles team of (freshmen) Sophia Waters and Charlotte Kohls worked their way through two tiebreakers in two different matches. I’m very proud of these two young players. They’re very competitive, and it showed. I’m proud of all the girls – they played well.”
Alton rolled past Collinsville 6-0. In singles results, Alton’s Schrumpf beat Melissa Garcia 6-2, 6-1 and Henkhaus beat Sydney Lewis 6-1, 6-3. In doubles, Alton’s Dondanville and Roark defeated Ella Kirk and Kaylyn Frederick 6-2, 6-0; Kiger and Cannon beat Natalie Mayhew and Abby Mayhew 6-2, 6-1; Schwaab and Hanebutt defeated Savannah Wilson and Corrine Smalley 6-1, 6-0 and Perkins and Scarbrough beat Haidyn Taylor and Kamryn Haley 6-2, 6-3.
“(Schrumpf) started off the day with a big win at No. 1 against Collinsville,” Macias said. “Melissa Garcia is tough, and she beat Lydia last time they played, so it was great seeing Lydia turn the score around.
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“Laila Kiger, Maddy Henkhaus, Ellie Hanebutt, and Vail Schwaab also got nice singles wins for us. Laila beat Sarah Moehn in a close match. She and Maddy are in a groove in singles.
“All of our doubles teams did well. Genna and McKenna continue to roll; Sadie and Olivia were dominant, and Caroline Cannon did well with a few different partners.
“It’s been a long week, and I’m so proud of the effort and energy today. We also have to give a shout-out to our JV players. Coach Carlene Hippen had them ready to play. Our junior varsity won a few matches against Marquette and they pushed Collinsville too.
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“It was fun playing a duals tournament because the teams stayed together all day and got to support each other. Plus, we have a good rivalry with Collinsville. The city championship match with Marquette is always a highlight of the year and our players really get up for the match. The last match was off the rails at times, but anytime we can play 22 players in a day, I’ll take it.”
Marquette and Alton will each be in action Tuesday. Marquette will host East Alton-Wood River at Gordon Moore Park and Alton will play at Civic Memorial. The postseason begins Friday for each. Alton will compete in the Belleville East Class 2A Sectional, while Marquette will play in the Class 1A Triad Sectional.