Tennis News Now

Name: John Allen School: Westmont Hilltop Age: 17 Grade: 12 Sports: Tennis, golf and swimming Parents: Gregory and Cynthia Allen, of Upper Yoder Township Athletic achievements: In tennis, four-year letterman, four-time District 6 Class 2A team champions, 2026 District 6 Class 2A doubles champion and singles runner-up, two-time district doubles runner-up, 2025 outstanding singles award and 2024 outstanding doubles award; in golf, three-year letterman; in swimming, four-year letterman, four-time District 6 qualifier and 2026 District 6 Class 2A 200-yard medley relay champions. Coach’s quote: “John has been one of the most consistent and motivated players that I’ve ever had the pleasure of coaching. He has an overpowering serve and can spot the ball anywhere on the court. In the last few years, he’s developed into one of the very best players in the area. He’s a great role model to the younger players, showing maturity and confidence whenever he plays. His demeanor and mental toughness on...

ORWELL — If there was one significant difference between the Grand Valley and Saint John volleyball teams, it may have been their experience in five-set matches. The Heralds had played in one, the Mustangs had not this season. Last week, Saint John lost in five sets to Cardinal 24-26, 17-25, 25-16, 25-19, 10-15 recently. On Thursday night, the Heralds fell behind 2-0 at GV, but stormed back to take the match 18-25, 23-25, 25-20, 25-15, 15-12 in a Northeastern Athletic Conference volleyball match that lasted nearly three hours at GVHS. “It was a really good match,” Saint John coach Sarah Howe said. “GV is a great program, Abby [Crooks] is doing a great job bringing them along, so it was great to have a nice competitive match against them. “I told our girls that they play five sets at the varsity level for a reason, and they turned it around in the third set.” The Heralds’ front line tandem of senior Marissa Williams and freshman Sophia Kemmer made their presence felt in the third set as...

Sep. 13—The Centralia boys tennis team earned a statement win on Friday, sweeping W.F. West 6-0 on the Tigers' home courts. The Tigers won all six matches in two sets, and they won 73 of the 88 games played. "Today was epic," Centralia coach Keith Hopkins said. "Today's victory proves the strength of our squad. These Tigers have put the time in to validate their dominance." The three doubles teams combined to lose just two games across all three matches, and Zander Corwin won the top singles match 6-1, 6-1. Kycen Donahue won a hard-fought match in the second singles slot 6-2, 7-5, and Samuel Parkin won in the third singles match 6-4, 6-0. "He just kept getting the ball back," Hopkins said of Parkin. "He's a quiet dude, but inside, there's a fierce competitor." Hopkins added that he believes it's the first time in more than 20 years that Centralia has swept their cross-town rival. The Tigers (3-0) will be back at home on Tuesda...

Aug. 17—PARK RAPIDS — The Minnewaska girls tennis team had a singles player and a doubles team go undefeated in four matches at the Park Rapids Invitational on Saturday. The Lakers finished second in the five-team tournament with 20 points. Fergus Falls took first place with 20. Senior Addy Heid went 4-0 at No. 2 singles for Minnewaska. That included three-set wins over East Grand Forks' Madi Wallace (2-6, 6-4, 15-13) and Park Rapids' Haley Larson (5-7, 6-4, 10-6). At No. 2 doubles, Lakers junior Norah Vanzee and freshman Clara Rankin won two three-set matches en route to a 4-0 record. The pair beat Fergus Falls' Carsyn Lill and Dillyn Lill 6-7 (5), 6-2, 10-5 and East Grand Forks' Daisy Omang and Adelie King 3-6, 6-3, 10-3. Freshman Isabelle Wallin was 3-1 at No. 4 singles. The senior doubles team of Alia Randt and Olivia Danielson also went 3-1 for the Lakers. Minnewaska competes in a quadrangular at Litchfield at 9 a.m. Wednesday along with Willmar and Rock Ridge. * ...

FAIRMONT — It’s been said that “life’s best moments are fleeting, but their impact lasts a lifetime.” Despite the 2025 season not ending exactly the way they had initially hoped, the East Fairmont boys’ tennis team certainly will have memories and friendships that will no doubt last them a lifetime. Following the conclusion of the state tennis tournament in Charleston, where the Bees lost in the team bracket to No. 1 overall seed Charleston Catholic in the semifinal round and fell to the Irish and players from Williamstown in both singles and doubles matches, head coach Scott Reed and several players from his squad took time to reflect on an unforgettable season. In a two-year span, Reed’s group finished as back-to-back Region I AA/A Champions, with multiple players qualifying for the state tournament after impressive performances in regional play. The team also held a combined record of 26-2 in the regular season, and an overall record of 31-4. Most notably, the 2025 Bees’ squad finis...

HARLAN — The North Laurel boys tennis team will be sending singles player Jackson Gilbert, and the doubles team of Finn McArdle and Carson Elza to the KHSAA Boys State Singles and Doubles Tournament after they turned in impressive efforts in the 13th Region Boys Singles and Doubles Tournament this past week. McArdle and Elza advanced to the region semis in doubles before falling to eventual regional doubles champions, Corbin’s Josh Ball, and Connor Middleton, 6-0, 6-0. “Extremely happy for Carson and Finn qualifying,” North Laurel coach Bob Smith said. “We were able to take advantage of a favorable draw by handling Knox's No. 2 team in the second round and Oneida's No. 2 team in the quarters. Carson really took a big jump this year after just starting tennis last year, and Finn has been one of our better doubles players. “We ran into a buzzsaw with John and Conner in the semis,” he added. “Similar to Jackson (Gilbert), I felt we played decent — they're just at another level...

FAIRMONT — It’s always a good sign when you have one player that qualifies for a state tournament. It’s even better, though, when four of your top athletes hit the mark. After two days of the West Virginia Region I AA/A high school tennis tournament, the East Fairmont boys’ tennis team has now secured both a team championship, a doubles championship, and have punched four tickets to the 2025 state tennis tournament. Bees’ athletes Hunter Bragg, Haydyn Dudash, Kollin Maxey and Isaiah Ferrell, put in strong performances in regional play, and have automatically qualified for the state tournament. Bragg and Dudash, longtime doubles partners, defeated Maxey and Ferrell in the doubles championships Tuesday evening, and earned first place in the competition. As a unit, the Bees battled their way to a consecutive regional team championship after defeating North Marion by a score of 4-0 in the semifinal round on Monday, and went on to beat Keyser 4-0 in the championship match Monday evening. Wi...

Apr. 11—WILLMAR — After 13 years away, Brandt Lager is back patrolling the courts for the Willmar boys tennis team. An assistant coach for the Cardinals from 2009-12 under coaches Loren Holter and Jim Anderson, Lager jumped into the head coach role this spring. He replaces Forrest Rice. "I actually coached Forrest," Lager said. "He was on the team the last year I coached." Lager added: "I just got the opportunity. When I coached before, my joke was that I'd have four kids in between and get back into tennis." Well, Lager has his four kids now. "I'm back at it," he said. Now, he's hoping to rebuild a Cardinals tennis squad that went 1-9 in the Central Lakes Conference last season and lost in the opening round of the Section 8AA-South tournament. Lager has tried to get players back that previously played tennis. He also recruited athletes looking for a spring sport while acting as a site supervisor during boys basketball games at the hi...

Apr. 1—OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies tennis squad was able to win overall against the Quincy Jacks on Saturday morning, with the girls going 3-2 and the boys 4-1. "My girls right now, they're all really strong, so they all play well," said Huskies girls' coach Priscilla Tovar. "Tennis is such a head game, so (they're) keeping a positive attitude and just going out there and finishing." The girls were able to win all three of their doubles matches, going 6-1, 6-3 in the first one and 6-0, 6-2 in the second. Their third doubles match was getting tighter, with the results being 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. The Huskies girls team is also currently undefeated for the season. "Our doubles movement is great," said Priscilla Tovar. "They had great net play and (were) sticking to the basics, making sure they're eliminating errors." Priscilla Tovar said the first doubles team, Launa Mallotte and Rylan Jones, did exceptionally well in Saturday's match...