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Decided in the finals:

Patriots beat Miners in 6 of 8 matchups to win M-PC tennis title

By Steve Brownlee 5 min read

IRON MOUNTAIN -- It all came down to the championship matches for the Westwood and Negaunee high school girls tennis teams at the Mid-Peninsula Conference meet held in Iron Mountain on Wednesday.

Those two Marquette County schools came into the finals round even on the scoreboard as they filled every position in the championship matches at the eight flights in this sport, four in singles and four in doubles.

Powered by a sweep in singles, the Patriots won six of those finals matches to capture the team title.

"I'm so proud of these girls for battling like they did, especially in the finals," Westwood head coach Sarah Zindler said in an email detailing the results. "Negaunee vs. Westwood is always a rival in girls tennis and you know you're going to have to play a tough match.

"Overall these girls just played within themselves. Every one of these girls had the belief ... that they could win and they fought in the tough moments and didn't beat themselves."

The Miners get a rematch of sorts exactly one week after this meet when they host the MHSAA Upper Peninsula Finals in Division 1 on Wednesday.

However, they may not be the two favorites by themselves like they were in the conference tourney.

Marquette, especially, might have a say in who will win the U.P. Finals, along with Kingsford, Gladstone, Escanaba and Menominee.

At the M-PCs, though, it was all Westwood and Negaunee.

With a base score of 32 points before any finals even began, the Patriots and Miners were well ahead of third-place Norway, which finished with 20. The six titles pushed the Patriots point total to 44, while the Miners came in with 36.

Ishpeming and the host Mountaineers tied for fourth with 10 points apiece, while Gwinn and Munising didn't score.

For the M-PC schools outside of Westwood and Negaunee, their MHSAA U.P. Finals in Division 2 are scheduled for Ishpeming next Thursday, though the Hematites have indicated most or all of their courts are under construction this fall. Westwood and/or Negaunee would seem a likely alternative site, though that hasn't been confirmed.

Along with Ishpeming, Gwinn and Munising, the D-2 finals will include IM, Norway, West Iron County and Ironwood.

On Wednesday in IM, the top two singles flights were the most hotly contested, each going three sets in the finals.

At No. 1, the Pats' Lyn Magnuson pulled off a 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 comeback over Negaunee's Stella Lenten in that final, while at No. 2, Westwood's Eliisa Doney survived a 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 decision over the Miners' Addie Chapman in their title tilt.

"Eliisa Doney played a great three-set match," Zindler said. "She played great defense in the match, battled through the long points and kept her emotions even.

"Lyn Magnuson also played a great three-set match.... The last few weeks, Lyn has really been gaining confidence in what she's capable of. (On Wednesday) she played her game and after losing a close first set came back to win a decisive second and third set." 

Westwood finished off its singles sweep when No. 3 Emmi Carlson downed Negaunee's Lucy Rogers 6-3, 6-1 in that final, and No. 4 Isabel Belpedio downed the Miners' Katie Carlson 6-2, 6-1.

The Patriots clinched the title with two more championships in doubles. At No. 2, WHS' Makenna Olson and Lauren Michaud-Richards fended off Negaunee's Maia Brunette and Aubrey Harper 6-0, 6-2, while at No. 4, Westwood's Jenna Marana and Brie Mahaffey won 6-1, 6-4 over the Miners' Emme Niemi and Sydney Jarvi.

Negaunee was a winner at the other two doubles flights. At No. 1, the Miners' Olivia Richards and Paige O'Donnell scored a 7-5, 6-2 win over Westwood's Ella Stacy and Tessa Burke, while at No. 3, NHS' Bree Helppi and Audrey Hahn pulled off a 6-2, 6-2 triumph over the Pats' Samiah LaFreniere and Emerson Williams.

While the other area schools couldn't get a championship round match in any flight, they did make some of the third-place matches.

Ishpeming won two of those third-place matches, Camryn Miller at No. 3 singles and Stella Nerlfi and Charlee Fredy at No. 1 doubles. Miller was an 8-2 winner over Norway's Tori Trudeau, while Nerlfi and Fredy prevailed 8-4 over the Knights' Myah Gilroy and Emily Carlson.

Two more Hematites flights finished fourth. At No. 2 singles, Ishpeming's Frankie Stetson lost 8-2 to Norway's Jessa Rossler in their third-place match, while at No. 3 doubles, the Hematites' Camby Gauthier and Callie Nelson fell 8-6 to Norway's Marisa Pipp and Chloe Mitchem.

For Gwinn, No. 1 singles player Emily Lehtomaki had probably the closest call in scoring a team point, losing 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) to Norway's Jordyn Moln in the opening round.

M-PC meet

Wednesday at Iron Mountain

TEAM SCORES -- 1. Westwood 44, 2. Negaunee 36, 3. Norway 20, 4. (tie) Ishpeming and Iron Mountain 10 each, 6. Munising and Gwinn, no score

Championship matches & 3rd-place finishers

SINGLES -- No. 1, Lyn Magnuson (W) def. Stella Lenten (NEG) 4-6, 6-2, 6-0; 3rd, Alysia Wood (IM). No. 2, Eliisa Doney (W) def. Addie Chapman (NEG) 6-1, 4-6, 6-3; 3rd, Jessa Rossler (NOR). No. 3, Emmi Carlson (W) def. Lucy Rogers (NEG) 6-3, 6-1; 3rd, Camryn Miller (ISH). No. 4, Isabel Belpedio (W) def. Katie Carlson (NEG) 6-2, 6-1; 3rd, Muyah Zeugner (NOR)

DOUBLES -- No. 1, Olivia Richards-Paige O'Donnell (NEG) def. Ella Stacy-Tessa Burke (W) 7-5, 6-2; 3rd, Stella Nerlfi-Charlee Fredy (ISH). No. 2, Makenna Olson-Lauren Michaud-Richards (W) def. Maia Brunette-Aubrey Harper (NEG) 6-0, 6-2; 3rd, Penelope Geneva-Julianna Saldana (IM). No. 3, Bree Helppi-Audrey Hahn (NEG) def. Samiah LaFreniere-Emerson Williams (W) 6-2, 6-2; 3rd, Marisa Pipp-Chloe Mitchem (NOR). No. 4, Jenna Marana-Brie Mahaffey (W) def. Emme Niemi-Sydney Jarvi (NEG) 6-1, 6-4; 3rd, Katie Reath-Amara Humphrey (NOR)

Story contents based on two emails received from Westwood tennis coach Sarah Zindler. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee's email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.

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