Madison’s Montez, Geneva’s Zheng advance to Division II district tournament in girls tennis

STAFF REPORT

Singles players from Madison and Geneva have punched their ticket to the Division II girls tennis tournament.

Madison’s Gabby Montez and Geneva’s Mickey Zheng advanced in singles action based on performances at the Hawken and Boardman sectional sites, respectively.

Montez and Zheng are scheduled to play in the district tournament starting at 9 a.m. Oct. 10 at Springside Athletic Club in Akron.

In the sectional tournament, Montez defeated Lake Catholic’s Emily Schoen 6-0, 6-0; Je_erson’s Anna Keep 6-0, 6-1; Beaumont’s Lily Dixon 6-4,

SEE TENNIS, C2

Geneva’s Mickey Zheng returns a shot during a first-singles match during Chagrin Valley Conference Lake Division Tournament recently. Zheng has qualified to the Division II district tournament in singles.

WARREN DILLAWAY | STAR BEACON

Madison’s Gabby Montez competes in the Division II girls sectional tennis tournament Tuesday at Hawken. Montez has advanced to the district tournament.

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6-2 and Hawken’s Raina Sethi 6-3, 6-2 to qualify for district.

In the semifinals, Montez fell to Hawken’s Dani Forte, the top seed, 6-0, 6-0.

Montez, is scheduled to play Lakeview’s Sophia Shuster on Saturday for third place.

The senior is making her first district appearance.

“To even make it through sectionals, I would have to give a humungous shout out to coach [Keith] Brainard and Pine Lake tennis club coaches,” she said.

“Without their help over the past four years, I would have never been able to make it it to districts by my senior year.

“They have helped push me and move me to the next level of tennis. I’m proud of myself for putting in the work and effort, but without them, I probably would’ve have never been motivated to do so.”

Montez earned a huge win over Sethi, who entered the sectional seeded fourth in singles, to capture a district spot.

“The biggest key that I had in mind was to stay confident and locked in on the game,” Montez said.

“I did everything I possibly could to avoid frustration and anger towards myself.

“Mistakes are just some things that are bound to happen, but I take those and I try to correct them the next time I try to do the same thing.”

Brainard is proud of Montez’s accomplishment.

“Gabby is a wonderful player and an even better person,” he said. “She is the kind of kid that you want to see do well because she works so hard, and is very deserving.”

Zheng, the fourth seed, downed Perry’s Kirra Heavlin 6-2, 6-1; Warren John F. Kennedy’s Jenny Huang 6-1, 6-0 and Ursuline’s Maria Meranto 6-4, 6-3 to advance.

“Districts has been on my mind for ahwile,” Zheng, a senior, said.

“For the past few years, I’ve always been close, losing the qualifying match. So, being able to go this year feels like all my hard work has paid off. I’m going to give my all at districts and leave it all on the court.”

Zheng is scheduled to go against Perry’s Audrey Austin in a semifinal match on Saturday morning.

Austin is the top seed at Boardman.

“This has been my ultimate goal in tennis [qualifying for districts], and to finally achieve it has been surreal,” Eagles coach Scott Torok said.

In doubles at Boardman, Geneva’s Addison DiPofi and Ashlyn Thompson were the third seed at Boardman.

DiPofi had to withdraw due to an ankle injury. Lucy Peterson replaced DiPofi.

Peterson and Thompson lost in the first round.

At Hawken, Edgewood’s Cathleen Applebee and Gabby Brown, the third seed, and Jefferson’s duo of Leah Markley and Ava Valenti, both reached the quarterfinals, before bowing out.

DIVISION I

The Dragons and Heralds were shut out of district competition.

Lakeside’s Ary Toth and Layla Jones each won two matches in singles, before their seasons ended in the third round.

Toth lost to Mayfield’s Danielle Prilepskiy 1-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-6) in a close match.

For the Heralds, Maggie Hoza, in singles, and Taylor Fusek and Christina Bellios, in doubles, advanced to the second round.