The Lady Jay tennis team hit the road last week to compete in the 3A Tennis Regional Tournament in Hesston on Friday, Oct. 5, with the hope of getting a State tournament bid.

Other teams competing in the Hesston Regionals were Alma-Wabaunsee, Beloit, Hesston, Hiawatha, Hillsboro, McPherson-Elyria Christian, Perry-Lecompton, Prairie Village – KCC, Salina-Sacred Heart, Shawnee–Maranatha Christian Academy and Sterling.

Doubles

Seniors Brooklyn Bauman and Kirsten Wenger – seeded number 6 – made up one of Sabetha’s two doubles teams. In their opening match, they met up with Bontrager and Nelson of McPherson-Elyria Christian. They won this match 9-2. In their next match, Bauman and Wenger met up with Bartels and Arnold of Prairie Village – KCC. They took their first loss of the day to KCC duo, who eventually placed second overall in the tournament.

Bauman and Wenger dropped down to the consolation bracket where they met up with San Miguel and Comley of Sterling. The winner of this competition would be guaranteed a state bid. Bauman and Wenger played tough, but fell 6-2 in the first set and 6-4 in the second. They finished their season with a 16-10 record.

Also competing in doubles for Sabetha were juniors Hannah Wertenberger and Kinsey Menold, who were hoping to earn another state bid after competing in the State tournament in 2017. Wertenberger and Menold were seeded number 9 in the tournament and received a bye in the play in round.

In their first match of the day, the Jay duo met up with Zhou and Knoflicek of Prairie Village – KCC. They won their opening match by a close score of 9-8 (5). In their second match of the day, Wertenberger and Menold met up with Martin and Martin of Hesston. They fell 6-2 in the first set and 6-2 in the second set. Martin and Martin were the eventual tournament champions.

Wertenberger and Menold dropped down to the consolation bracket, where they met up with Hubbard and Unruh of Hesston. Wertenberger and Menold lost this match as well, by the close score of 6-2 in the first set and 7-5 in the second. They finished their season with a 16-9 record.

Singles

Number 11 seeded senior Ashten Halls entered the tournament with a 6-12 record. She won her first match – which was a play in match – against Shaelyn Nick of Beloit, 9-2. After winning the entry game, Halls met up with Autymn Schreiner of Wabaunsee, which she ended up losing 9-1. Halls finished her season with a 7-13 record.

Senior Jessica Payne was seeded number 8 in the singles bracket. She met up with Riley Richter of Sterling. Richter held a big lead for most of the game but Payne battled back and ended up losing 9-8 (3) in a tie breaker. Payne finished her season with an 11-7 record.

Head Coach Alicia Deters said the team did everything she could have asked for.

“I talked to the girls after it was over and told them how proud I was of them,” she said. “They played with class and integrity! They went out there and competed, and that was all I could ask for. We took a tough draw with this regional with the top in the state in both singles and doubles in this region.”

Deters said she was also especially proud of the seniors and their leadership during the season.

“The seniors were great leaders throughout the season!” she said. “We will miss them!”