High school girls tennis: Kennett holds court twice on weekend

The Kennett High School girls tennis team enjoyed the red carpet treatment on Friday night.

Then the Indians marvelous weekend continued Saturday at The Wheatley Courts as all six players on the varsity squad earned medals at Kennett's own invitational tournament.

During halftime of Friday's football game versus Caruthersville, players from the 2022 Class 1 state championship team received bling in the form of rings.

Kennett graduates Macy Bazzell, Carley Winston and Giselle Garcia-Gallegos, members of the 2022 state championship squad received their championship rings during a special ceremony at halftime of a Sept. 15, 2023, football game at Metz Cherry Stadium.(Photo by Eric Viccaro, staff)

Kennett head coach Janet Hilburn said ceremonies like that never get old.

“It was very nice of the administration to have the ceremony, and the girls loved their rings,” Hilburn said.

Claire Bean, a student who plays on the team from Holcomb, Handley McAtee, Christi Tejeda, Macy Bazzell, Giselle Garcia-Gallegos and Carley Winston all received rings from Herf Jones. Assistant coach Hanna Hunter and Hilburn also were given rings.

Herf Jones is a noted manufacturer of championship rings for high school and collegiate sports teams.

In the singles championship at the Kennett Invitational, Christi Tejeda's experience was evident in a 6-1, 6-0 victory over teammate Olivia Rebstock.

Bean and McAtee won the doubles draw over Indian teammates Jady Quinn and Emory Kamper, 6-0, 6-0.

Hilburn said the competition gave Rebstock, Quinn and Kamper experience playing the winner's bracket.

“I thought all of the girls played well,” Hilburn said. “But, we still have some work to do.”

Two Dexter doubles squads finished third and fourth overall with these four players also excelling: Puja Maisuria, Kinley Kennedy, Febe Worley and Sophia James.

In the third-place singles match, Windsor's Kenzie Ferrell earned a hard-fought 6-4, 6-4 victory over Dexter's Emerson Dorton.

The tournament was formatted like a Missouri State High School Activities Association-sanctioned postseason individual tournament. Team scores weren't kept.

Hilburn also was pleased to have Windsor, a St. Louis metropolitan area school, compete in the tournament. Windsor is located 188 miles due north of Kennett.

This is a big week for Kennett, with matches at Cape Central Tuesday and home versus Saxony Lutheran (Jackson) Wednesday. The SEMO Conference tournament is slated for Friday in Cape Girardeau.