By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman's girls tennis team, third in Class 5A a year ago, continues to build momentum for another late-season run, following up last week's city championship with the team title in Tuesday's 11-school Topeka West Invitational at Kossover Tennis Center.
Led by singles champions Emma Sweeney and Molly Gorman, Seaman won Tuesday's championship by a 51-47 margin over Washburn Rural, with the Vikings and Junior Blues repeating their one-two finish from the city meet.
Seaman junior Emma Sweeney won the No. 1 singles championship in Tuesday's Topeka West Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Seaman senior Molly Gorman won the No. 2 singles championship in Tuesday's Topeka West Invitational for team champion Seaman. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Sweeney, a junior, won the No. 1 singles title with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Olathe West's Lindsay Ruder, avenging a loss to Ruder in the 2024 West tournament, while Gorman, a senior, captured the No. 2 singles championship with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Manhattan's Sally Kastner.
Seaman also got a runnerup doubles finish from Peyton Henry and Camryn Lux in No. 1 doubles and a third-place finish from Kaylyn Hiebsch and Candace Speer in No. 2 doubles.
"Another good day for the Vikings,'' Seaman coach Jamie Robinson said. "The girls are trusting their shots and especially in singles Molly really played well. I feel like she's struggled a little bit and she had to take eight months off (with an injury) and now she's really getting back to form. That last match was the most comfortable I've ever seen her.
"And Emma really had a big match and she wanted this one, so that was fun to see. That tested her, that challenged her. This was good competition and we're battle tested and that's going to help in the UKC and it's going to help in regionals.''
Washburn Rural, which has put together another strong season despite graduating several key players off its 2024 team, swept the doubles titles in Tuesday's tournament.
Washburn Rural coach Michelle Rose talks to Rural No. 1 doubles players Halle Owen and Julia Katzer during Tuesday's Topeka West Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Rural juniors Julia Katzer and Halle Owen won the No. 1 doubles championship with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Seaman's Henry and Lux. Katzer and Owen also faced Henry and Lux in the city championship match, with Rural taking an 8-3 win.
Washburn Rural junior Julia Katzer returns a shot during the No. 1 doubles final in Tuesday's Topeka West Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural junior Halle Owen returns a shot during the No. 1 doubles final in Tuesday's Topeka West Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Alizah Chedzoy and Annie Henderson followed up their city title in No. 2 doubles with the championship in Tuesday's tournament, with Rural taking a 6-1, 6-3 decision in the finals.
TOPEKA WEST INVITATIONAL TENNIS
At Kossover Tennis Center
Team scores
Seaman 51, Washburn Rural 47, Manhattan 40, Washburn Rural 'B' 39, Olathe West 39, Olathe South 35, Junction City 31, Topeka West 25, Salina Central 20, Lansing 15, Leavenworth 13, Shawnee Heights 9.
Individual results
Singles
No. 1 -- Championship: Sweeney, Seaman, def. Ruder, Olathe West, 6-2, 6-4. Third: Micheel, Junction City, def. Martens, Olathe South, 6-2, 6-2.
No. 2 -- Championship: Gorman, Seaman, def. Kastner, Manhattan, 6-0, 6-2. Third: Hoopes, Washburn Rural, def. Ebert, Washburn Rural 'B', 6-2, 6-0.
Doubles
No. 1 -- Championship: Katzer/Owen, Washburn Rural, def. Henry/Lux, Seaman, 6-1, 6-3. Third: Schartz/Hsu, Manhattan, def. Martinez/Ingalsbe, Washburn Rural 'B', 6-0, 6-1.
No. 2 -- Championship: Chedzoy/Henderson, Washburn Rural, def. Snarr/Lucht, Washburn Rural 'B', 6-1, 6-3. Third: Hiebsch/Speer, Seaman, def. Kruetzkamp/Tajchman, Olathe South, 6-4, 6-3.
