KIOWA — The Ellinwood High School girls’ tennis team took first place at the Class 3-1A regional meet hosted by South Barber on Friday.
The meet stretched late into Saturday after the coaches decided to try to avoid inclement weather on Saturday. The meet finished at 1 a.m. on Saturday.
The Lady Eagles scored 21 points to beat Central Plains, which finished with 11 points.
Oma Thomas finished in first place in the singles competition, defeating Aspen McCann of Ashland, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2.
“She looked good,” Ellinwood head coach Lyle Stickney said of Thomas. “Her final match was really a tale of two matches. After her first set, she told me, ‘I feel fine, but I can’t focus out there.’
“She played very well in those last two sets to win the regionals.
Bailey Schartz and Darrien Beckwith combined to win the regional crown in doubles competition, beating Katie Hipp and Janae Hekele of Central Plains, 6-4, 6-2.
“They looked good all day, just like they have all season, really,” Stickney said. “They served the ball well. Their net-play looked good. They look solid going into the state meet.”
Both doubles duos advanced to the state meet, which will be held on Friday and Saturday at Dodge City.
Ellinwood’s second doubles team comprised of Gentry McLeland and Kaitlyn Robl, finished in third place to advance to the state meet.
The Lady Eagles singles player Rachel Morales also qualified for state, finishing in sixth place.
Along with Hipp and Hekele, Central Plains will be sending its No. 1 singles player Breanna Schartz to state, after she finished in fourth place as a freshman.
“One needs to remember that Breanna is just a freshman,” Central Plains head coach Gary Bittner said. “She has shown steady improvement throughout the year. She played some darn good tennis.”
 
CLASS 3-1A REGIONAL TENNIS          
At Kiowa
Team standings
1. Ellinwood, 21; 2. Central Plains, 11; 3. Ashland, 10; 4. South Central, 5; 4. Meade, 5; 6. Chaparral, 4; 7. South Barber, 2; 8. Cimarron, 0; 8. Kiowa County, 0; 8. St. John, 0.
Ellinwood results
Singles
1. Oma Thomas, Ellinwood, def. Davis, St. John, 6-1, 6-1; def. Hostetler, South Barber, 6-0, 6-1; def. Schartz, Central Plains, 6-0, 6-2; def. McCann, Asland, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2
6. Rachel Morales, Ellinwood, def. Zamora, Cimarron, 6-2, 6-1; Schartz, Central Plains def. Morales 6-3, 6-1; Morales def. Hostetler, South Barber, 1-6, 6-1, 6-0; Olivera, Meade, def. Morales 6-2, 6-3
Doubles
1. Bailey Schartz & Darrien Beckwith, Ellinwood, def. Mendoza & Lazoya, Cimarron, 6-1, 6-0; def. Kempke & Beck, Central Plains, 6-1, 6-1; def. Smith & Mathis, Chaparral, 6-2, 6-0; def. Hipp & Hekele, Central Plains, 6-4, 6-2
3. Gentry McLeland & Kaitlyn Robl, Ellinwood, def. Ortiz & Tyus, St. John, 6-0, 6-0; def. Borth & Flowers, Meade, 6-3, 6-4; Hipp Hekele, Central Plains, def. McLeland & Robl, Ellinwood, 6-1, 6-2; McLeland & Robl, Ellinwood, def. Smith & Mathis, Chaparral, 6-7(8-10), 7-5, 6-2