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Tennis earns split on road trip

Joel Reichenberger

— A weekend packed with action on the Front Range had its up and downs for the Steamboat Springs High School girls tennis team. Now, after the squad split a pair of Saturday duals, coach John Aragon is hoping the team is properly motivated as it heads toward the end of its season.

The team has just one match left before the regional tournament.

“As a team, we have some work to do,” Aragon said. “Hopefully, this will motivate them to work a little harder to get ready for regionals.”



Friday, the team went 1-6 against Ralston Valley.

Saturday, Steamboat had no problem with Boulder, sweeping that team 7-0. It wasn’t so easy against Air Academy, however, where the Sailors again lost six of seven matches.



Tatum Burger was the team’s constant, as she has been all season. The freshman, playing as Steamboat’s No. 1 singles player, won twice, 6-1, 6-0 against Boulder and 6-0, 6-0 against Air Academy.

“She’s undefeated, 9-0, and it looks like she might go through the regular season undefeated,” Aragon said. “That hasn’t been done in quite awhile in the girls program. Her brother did it as a senior at No. 1 singles. She’s on pace to do the same thing.”

Against Boulder, Maddie Thompson, at No. 2 singles, won 6-2, 6-1. Emmie Thompson won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 3 singles. Hanna Haggarty and Maddie Labor won 6-4, 6-4 at No. 1 doubles, Sabina Berend and Sydney Boyd won a tight one at No. 2 doubles, 1-6, 6-2, 6-3, Norma Techarukpong and Shae Burger won at No. 3 doubles 6-2, 6-2 and Annika Fahrner and Lily Petersen won, 6-4, 6-1.

Air Academy turned the tables. The best match for Steamboat outside of Tatum Burger’s was at No. 1 doubles, where Haggarty and Labor pushed their match to three grueling sets. They ended up losing in a long tiebreaker to fall 4-6, 7-5, 11-9.

“Even in that loss, I liked where they’re at, and I was really pleased with the performance,” Aragon said. “They played together and are playing much better than they did against Ralston Valley.”

Steamboat lost at No. 2 singles, 6-0, 6-0, No. 3 singles 6-2, 6-3, No. 2 doubles 6-3, 6-0, No. 3 doubles 6-4, 6-2 and No. 4 doubles 6-3, 6-0.

The team next plays Friday at Evergreen, then has a lengthy break before regionals April 30 and May 1 in Grand Junction.


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