The Ankeny Centennial girls’ tennis team was hoping to pull off a gigantic upset on Saturday.
With a trip to the state team tournament at stake, Johnston refused to let it happen.
The host Dragons defeated Centennial, 5-0, in a Class 2A regional final. The Jaguars finished the season with a 6-10 record.
“While the result wasn’t what we hoped for, I was incredibly proud of how our girls competed,” said Centennial coach Alli Gustafson, whose team had lost to Johnston, 11-0, on Sept. 9. “We played a much stronger match than when we faced them earlier this season, which is a great testament to how much we have grown! The girls did a great job using more aggression and pace to finish points, and they continued to battle until the very end.”
Anna Pedersen enjoyed the most success at No. 6 singles. She won four games before dropping a 6-3, 6-1 decision to Elliana Behn.
The Dragons (10-1) advanced to the state tournament on Oct. 12-13 at Waukee Northwest.
“Finishing as regional runner-up is an exciting accomplishment!” Gustafson said. “These girls have worked hard all season to improve not only their skills, but also their strategic mentality and ability to compete under pressure. I am so proud of the growth this team has shown throughout the season and everything they have accomplished!”
Here are the match-by-match results:
Johnston 5, Ankeny Centennial 0
Singles: Lis. Lu vs. Baca, DNF; B. Launderville beat Sutherland, 6-1, 6-1; Studer beat Schulz, 6-1, 6-0; Lin. Lu beat Bohnenkamp, 6-0, 6-1; S. Launderville beat Oliver, 6-0, 6-0; Behn beat Pedersen, 6-3, 6-1.