The Honeoye Falls-Lima Girls Varsity Tennis team won its first Section V team title since 2010 when it defeated #1 Geneva for the Section V Class B1 championship last week. Turn to page 7 for the article on the champions. Photo by Brian Donahue from HF-L Athletics Twitter account
The Honeoye Falls-Lima Girls Varsity Tennis team joined the Cougar boys team in claiming a Section V team title in the same calendar year by taking the Section V Class B1 title last week, the program’s first since 2010. Just five months ago, HF-L’s boys varsity tennis team won its first-ever team title.
HF-L began its exciting past two weeks with a 5-2 win over Irondequoit in a regular season match on September 30. Mary Repass won 7-6, 6-4 in first singles. Hazel Jokl topped her second singles opponent by 6-2, 7-5. Elliana Davis took a 7-5. 6-4 victory at third singles. Madelyn Langley and Ava Youngblut teamed up for a 6-2, 6-0 first doubles victory. Ellie Casler and Sydney Emerson bowed 6-4, 6-4 in second doubles. Mady Etter and Maria Fanghanel dropped a 6-1, 6-2 match to their third doubles opponents. Grace Casler and Paige Fazekas edged their opponents at fourth doubles by 7-5, 7-6.
The Cougars received the #3 seed in the Section V Class B1 Team Tournament and began their run to the title with a 5-0 win over #14 seed Newark on October 3. Jokl swept her first singles opponent by 6-0, 6-0. Youngblut did not allow a point in a 6-0, 6-0 victory at second singles. Fazekas received a forfeit win in third singles. Ellie Casler and Langley paired for a 6-0, 6-0 win over their first doubles opponents. Emerson and Repass had an easy time at second doubles with a 6-0, 6-0 win.
HF-L defeated #6 Penn Yan 4-1 in the Class B1 quarterfinals on October 4. Repass collected a 6-2, 6-4 victory at first singles. Youngblut recorded a 6-2, 7-6 win over her second singles opponent. Fazekas lost 6-2, 6-0 in third singles. Emerson and Langley cruised to a 6-0, 6-1 first doubles win. Ellie Casler and Jokl teamed for a 6-0, 6-1 win at second doubles.
The Cougars overpowered #2 seed Harley-Allendale-Columbia 4-1 in the semifinals on October 6. Repass bowed 6-0, 6-1 in first singles. Jokl prevailed for a 6-2, 6-4 victory over her second singles opponent. Davis garnered a 6-2, 6-4 win at third singles. Emerson and Langley delivered a 6-4, 6-1 victory in first doubles. Ellie Casler and Youngblut handled their second doubles opponents by 6-1, 6-1.
HF-L shut out #1 Geneva 5-0 in the Class B1 finals on October 11. Repass gained a 6-3, 7-6 win at first singles. Jokl defeated her second singles opponent by 7-6, 6-4. Youngblut overcame her third singles opponent by 7-6, 6-4. Davis and Langley easily captured a 6-1, 6-2 win in first doubles. Ellie Casler and Emerson won 6-1, 6-4 over their second doubles opponents.
“Our success throughout our run in team sectionals was first of all due to the belief that each member of our team could do it,” coach Gae Orsini said. “We worked equally on singles and doubles and players experienced both throughout our regular season. As a result, we were able to adjust our lineup in accordance with each opposing team in sectionals. It’s been a 12 year lull so it will be nice to see the banner brought up to date.”
On October 12, the Cougars defeated Webster Thomas 6-1 in a postponed regular season match. Langley extended her first singles opponent to three sets before falling 4-6, 6-2, 7-6. Davis won 6-0, 6-2 at second singles. Fazekas earned a forfeit for third singles. Jokl and Youngblut outlasted their first doubles opponent by 7-5, 7-5. Ellie Casler and Repass won 6-1, 6-1 in second doubles. Emerson and Fanghanel earned a forfeit win at third doubles. Grace Casler and Zainab Khan also picked up a forfeit in fourth doubles.
HF-L sent four players, two singles and a doubles team, to the Section V Class B1 Individual Tournament on October 8. Jokl and Youngblut teamed in doubles play and won their first round match by 10-0, took their quarterfinal match by 10-0 and their semifinal match by 6-2, 6-1 before losing in the finals by 2-6, 6-2, 6-4. In singles play, Repass won 10-0 in the first round but lost 10-9 in the quarterfinals, then won 6-0, 7-5 in the first playback match before losing to teammate Langley 6-0, 6-4 in the third/fourth place match to finish fourth. Meanwhile, Langley won her first round match by 10-0, her quarterfinal match by 10-5, lost her semifinal match by 7-6 (8), 6-2 before beating Repass 6-0, 6-4 in the third/fourth place match to take third place.
Langley and the doubles team of Jokl and Youngblut advance to the state qualifiers this week.
