Washington Girls Tennis

Hammond takes 2nd at state tennis

IOWA CITY – Katie Hammond said her bum knee didn’t bother her.

Moving from the indoor courts at the University of Iowa’s tennis center on Thursday into the wind and sun outside the next day wasn’t a problem.

Her blonde pony tail didn’t get into her eyes and her pink shoe laces didn’t come untied.

“I wish I could say I had an excuse,” the Cedar Rapids Washington senior said Friday afternoon after her first singles defeat of the season in the championship match of the girls Class 2A high school state tournament.

The fact is, on this day anyway, the tournament’s undefeated No. 2 seed was no match for top seed and defending champ Jessica King of Ames, who kept her title with a convincing 6-3, 6-1 victory.

“She’s such a great player,” said Hammond, who finished third in the state last year and was 22-1 this season. “She just hit so many wonderful winners. I don’t think I played poorly at all. But she never missed.”

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Warriors claim 'state' tennis win over Kennedy

The girls tennis meet Monday between Cedar Rapids Washington and Kennedy was billed as the first round of the state team tournament.

But with the competition at Jefferson and just the two teams and their fans on hand, it didn't really have a state tournament atmosphere.

"The first round always feels weird," Washington senior Katie Hammond said. "It doesn't really feel like state until you get down to Iowa City."

The Warriors are headed back to Iowa City after dispatching the Cougars, 5-0, in a Class 2A state tournament quarterfinal. The final four play June 2 at the University of Iowa, the day after the two-day singles and doubles state competition.

Washington ran its record to 19-0 overall. The Warriors have won all three tournament meets by 5-0 counts and have a season match record of 152-7.

Washington Coach Dan Reyner said he thinks this edition of the Warriors is better than the team that finished fourth in last year's state meet.

"We have a freshman (Lilly Hartman) in the lineup this year and we have six returnees from last year," Reyner said. "We had to bump somebody down, so, yeah, this is a stronger team."

That takes some of the pressure off Hammond, the Warriors' No. 1 player in singles.

"There are a lot of teams that have strong No. 1 players," said Hammond, who beat Kennedy's Sarah Lasecki, 6-1, 6-0, Monday. "The fact that we have six solid players makes it less important as to how we do at No. 1. That No. 6 match is just as important."

Reyner said he is hopeful the Warriors receive a No. 2 seed for the team tournament. The seeds will be announced Wednesday.

"They're incredible," he said of his team. "We just have to keep our heads on straight for two more weeks."

Besides the team tournament, all six Warriors also will compete in singles and doubles the previous two days. Reyner downplayed that as being a cause for concern.

"We're playing tennis for three days," he said. "We're just going to have to cowboy up."

The singles and doubles tournament is May 31 and June 1 at Iowa City.

WASHINGTON 5, KENNEDY 0

Singles

1. Katie Hammond (CRW) def. Sarah Lasecki, 6-1, 6-0
2. Kristin King (CRW) def. Katherine Thompson, 6-2, 6-3
3. Lilly Hartman (CRW) def. Lindsay Minder, 6-1, 6-0
4. Olivia Brooks (CRW) vs. Alexa Mitchell, 6-3, stopped
5. Lanie Sabin (CRW) def. Rachel Gilman, 6-1, 6-0
6. Rina Moore (CRW) def. Melanie Abzug, 6-2, 6-0

No doubles

Wash girls roll into state team tennis tourney

ELDRIDGE -- Cedar Rapids Washington rolled past Xavier and Bettendorf and right into the girls state team tennis tournament Saturday at North Scott.

The Warriors beat Xavier and Bettendorf by identical 5-0 scores in the Class 2A regional semis and finals.

Washington will play Kennedy in a first-round state tournament meet Monday at 3 p.m. at Jefferson.

Lilly Hartman, Olivia Brooks, Lanie Sabin and Rina Moore all won a pair of singles matches Saturday. Katie Hammond and Kristin King also won a match apiece. The Warriors did not have to play any doubles.

Bettendorf advanced to the finals by beating Davenport Central, 5-1, in the semifinals.


WASHINGTON 5, XAVIER 0

Singles
1. Katie Hammond (CRW) vs. Laura Birky 6-1, stopped
2. Kristin King (CRW) def. Allison Jasper, 6-1, 6-2
3. Lilly Hartman (CRW) def. Jeanne Bouchard, 6-1, 6-1
4. Olivia Brooks (CRW) def. Claire Bouchard, 6-1, 6-0
5. Lanie Sabin (CRW) def. Meggie Gates, 6-0, 6-0
6. Rina Moore (CRW) def. Devin Hayes, 6-2, 7-5

WASHINGTON 5, BETTENDORF 0

Singles
1. Katie Hammond (CRW) def. Dana Waterman, 6-2, 6-2
2. Kristin King (CRW) vs. Ali Grampf 6-3, stopped
3. Lilly Hartman (CRW) def. Emily Speer, 6-3, 6-0
4. Olivia Brooks (CRW) def. Megan McPherson, 6-3, 6-0
5. Lanie Sabin (CRW) def. Penny Constantiou, 6-1, 6-2
6. Rina Moore (CRW) def. Hannah Bankson, 6-1, 6-3

Warriors sweep top spots at girls regional tennis

WATERLOO -- Washington swept the top two spots in both singles and doubles Thursday in the Class 2a regional singles and doubles tournament at Waterloo West.

Washington's Katie Hammond beat teammate Lilly Hartman, 6-0, 6-1, for the singles title.

Washington's Kristin King and Olivia Brooks teamed up to beat teammates Lanie Sabin and Rina Moore, 6-3, 6-2, for the doubles championship.

The Warriors advance all six of their players to the Class 2A individual state meet at the University of Iowa in Iowa city on May 31 and June 1.