Showing a little rust from a week off of competition, Clarkston’s tennis team tied Marian 4-4 on Sept. 26. Still, Clarkston Coach Kyleen Cunningham feels her charges are ready for the OAA Division III tournament at West Bloomfield on Sept. 28.
‘They’ll be fired up and ready to go,? said Cunningham.
The Wolves, currently ranked fifth in the state, end their regular season with a 6-0-3 (5-0-1) record which ties them with West Bloomfield heading into the league tourney.
Last year, West Bloomfield won the league tournament, forcing a tie for the title with Clarkston.
‘The league is much stronger this year, that should help us,? said Cunningham.
Cunningham hopes other teams in the league, like Lake Orion or Stoney Creek, knock out some of West Bloomfield’s talented doubles tandems for the Wolves.
As evidenced by the Wolves match against Marian, Clarkston’s singles players can not carry the team by themselves. All four of Clarkston’s singles, senior Stephanie Parkison, sophomore Alyssa Lucas, junior Darylann Trout and freshman Nicole Janek, won in straight sets against Marian, while all four of Clarkston’s doubles lost their matches.
‘Without (the doubles) we are not going to get back to states,? said Cunningham.
Clarkston enters the league tournament with three number one seeds ? Trout in the number three singles flight; Janek in the number four singles flight; and number four doubles pairing senior Katelyn Brown and sophomore Jasmin Olinger.
Janek and Trout each own unblemished 20-0 records. Brown and Olinger piled up four wins in league dual matches this season.
After the league tournament, Clarkston plays in the Holly invite on Oct. 1 as a final tune-up before regionals on Oct. 6.