Sturgis tennis gets two flights to regional semifinals, take seventh

PORTAGE — The season came to an end on Saturday for the Sturgis tennis team.

The Trojans recorded six points at the regional hosted by Portage Central. This was good for seventh place overall in the tournament, which was won by Mattawan with 24 points. Finishing in second was St. Joseph with 22 points.

Sturgis had a couple of flights make it to the semifinals on the day.

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Gracie Perry reached the semis at second singles. She had a bye in her first round and then upset fourth-seeded Sydney Boucher of Byron Center in a 6-1, 6-4 victory. Perry lost in the next match to eventual champion Aarna Betala of Portage Central 6-2, 6-1.

The third doubles team of Nghi Ngo and Katelyn Halling reached the semis as well. They were seeded second in the regional and had a bye in the opening round. The duo won their next match over Matilda Beck and Violet Hunter of Portage Central with scores of 6-0, 6-4. Madison Fonnesbeck and Natalie Rutgers of Byron Center ended the Sturgis run in straight sets the next round.

Rylee Carver won her first match over Eliza Yan of Portage Northern 6-0, 6-0 in the opening round at first singles. Her next match saw Carver fall to Adelie Chen of Portage Central by scores of 6-3, 6-1.

Katherine Steele also won a match at third singles. She beat Evelyn Lewin of Holland 6-4, 6-0 but then dropped a 6-1, 6-3 match to Mallory Johnson, the flight winner from Byron Center, in the next round.

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Ava Stewart was upended in her first match in fourth-singles play to Isabelle Schilithroat of Middleville Thornapple Kellogg 7-5, 6-3. Sturgis' top doubles team of Johanna Rooyakkers and Bella Currier dropped a 6-1, 6-2 decision to Brooklyn Quillan and Halle Reider of Zeeland West in the opening round. At second doubles, Arianna Terwedo and Chloe Clark fell to Holland 6-4, 6-3 in their opening match. Then, at fourth doubles, the Sturgis team of Mya Eicher and Hannah Ritchie had a bye in the opening round, but fell to Byron Center in their first action on the court, 6-1 and 7-6 (2).

Contact Sports Editor Brandon Watson at bwatson@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @BwatsonSJ.

This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: Sturgis tennis scores six points at regional round