Charleston wins district

Monday, October 13, 2003
Megan Luehmann, shown, and Claire Showmaker won the district doubles tournament on Friday, qualifying for state (Photo by David Jenkins, Staff)

SIKESTON -- Charleston won the Class 1, District 2 tennis tournament at Sikeston High School on Friday with 29.5 points.

The Lady Bluejays won the doubles tournament, had a team take third, then had a player take fourth in the singles tournament to win the event.

"I couldn't be more pleased with the way everybody contributed," said Charleston coach Mitch Baker. "It was a total team effort. I couldn't be prouder of the way the girls handled the whole situation. Our seniors stepped up real big today."

With the district win, the Bluejays move on to sectional round, which will take place in St. Louis next Saturday.

Sikeston came in second place in the district with 24.5 points, followed by Kennett at 20.5, Fredericktown at 17, Dexter at 12, Park Hills Central at 9, North County at 9, Potosi at 6.5, Chaffee at 4.5 and Caruthersville with 2. Arcadia Valley came in 11th place with 0 points.

The singles tournament was won by Sikeston's Elizabeth Killion. Teammate Lindsay Leible came in third place for the Lady Bulldogs.

The doubles tournament was won by the Charleston team of Megan Luehmann and Claire Showmaker.

After receiving a bye in the first round, the two beat Chaffee 6-1, 6-2, Dexter 6-4, 6-1 in the quarterfinals, then Park Hills Central 6-2, 6-2 in the semifinals.

In the championship, Luehmann and Showmaker beat Kennett 3-6, 6-1, 6-3.

"They lost the first set in the finals, but didn't get frustrated at all," said Baker. "They kept their composure and came back to win the last two sets."

Charleston's other doubles team of KaMyia Sager and Kara True took third place. The two got a bye in the first round, then beat Caruthersville 6-0, 6-0. In the quarterfinals, they beat Dexter 6-1, 4-6, 6-1.

Sager and True were beaten by Dexter in the semifinals 2-6, 2-6. In the third place match, the two beat Park Hills Central 6-3, 6-0.

"They lost a heartbreaker in the semifinals, but pulled it back together and won a big third place match," said Baker.

In the singles tournament, Charleston's Laura Burton took fourth place. She got a bye in the first round, then beat North County's Carrie Schmitt 6-0, 6-1. In the quarterfinals, she defeated Fredericktown's Jessie Cooper 6-1, 6-0.

In the semifinals, she lost to Killion 0-6, 3-6. In the third place game, she was beaten by Leible 0-6, 1-6.

"Laura Burton played great," said Baker. "She lost to two great players in Elizabeth Killion and Lindsay Leible. There is no shame in losing to those two girls."

Charleston's Lauren Smith won her first round match over Caruthersville's Whitney Nelson 6-1, 6-4. Smith lost to Fredericktown's Morgan Kemp in the next round 0-6, 0-6.

"To finish 10-2 and district champs, this team has far exceeded our expectations," said Baker. "They did a great job all year. It's a great way to finish off a good season."

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