2016 State Champions!!

2016 State Champions!!
2016 STATE CHAMPIONS!

Monday, October 13, 2014

2014 5A State Champions – Lone Peak Girls Tennis !! 3RD STATE TITLE IN 4 YEARS!


On Saturday October 11th, the Lone Peak Girls Tennis Team hoisted the State Championship trophy high above their heads, winning their 3rd State Championship in four years. The final tally showed Lone Peak with 22 points, Davis High with 21.

This year, like last year, it came down to doubles play and the Team title came down to 2nd doubles as it did last year when Davis narrowly defeated Lone Peak. This year it was Lone Peaks turn.

To defeat Davis, Lone Peak's girls knew it would take a team effort, with everyone scoring points and that team effort led to the team victory.

At first singles, Leah Heimuli gave up a total of 6 games in 3 matches on her way to the final where she met up with Davis' Breezy Turley. Though Leah lost in the final she fought valiantly and her season could be summed up in two words 'work ethic'. No one works harder on their game and works harder to improve than Leah.

At 2nd singles Lone Peak had Morgan Hall leading the way. Morgan missed the first 3+ weeks of the season with an injury and then one week before the Region tournament, she injured her shoulder, a new injury. She fought valiantly in the Region tournament to come away with the Region Championship. At State she gave up 2 games in her first 2 matches, sometimes even serving the ball underhanded because of her shoulder pain. On day 2 of State her pain was so intense but she refused to quit, she refused to give in and fought and fought through her semifinal match before losing. Morgans season could be summed up with the word 'courageous' as she fought pain and adversity throughout.

At 3rd singles, sophomore Ellie Slighting was our 'secret weapon'. Halfway through our region season, due to injuries, Ellie was asked to fill in and did so admirably, picking up confidence with each win. She qualified for State play as a #2 seed and won each match at State easier than the previous match. Her first trip to State and she showed great composure and never felt pressure. Ellie's run in the tournament found her in the finals where she lost to the defending champion from Davis but as always Ellie played tough. In a word, Ellie showed all season that she was 'unflappable'.

While Davis held the edge in singles, both of their doubles teams were knocked out early in the tournament and it became apparent that Lone Peaks doubles could make up ground with victories.

Our most experienced and decorated doubles team, with 3 State Championships between them, Electra Cochran and Lauren Allen played superbly over the 2 day tournament, knocking out teams in straight sets with relative ease. The finals found them up against Bingham and a team that had taken them to 3 sets earlier in the year. But in the final Electra and Lauren prevailed with a 6-4,6-2 victory to take the State Championship at 1st doubles. Their season summed up could be 'calmly confident'.

In 2nd doubles, JJ Bitton and Olivia Harkness got through their first 2 rounds relatively easy and found themselves in a semifinal match with Bingham who they also had defeated in 3 sets earlier in the season. On this day, JJ and Olivia proved to be the most steady and consistent, winning 6-4,6-2. And now the stage was set for their final and a scenario exactly like last year, where a win in the final would mean a team title and a loss in the final would give the team title to Davis. JJ and Olivia played well and came away victorious 6-4,6-2, giving themselves an individual championship while also securing the Team Championship for Lone Peak. Summing up their season 'consistently battling'.

Each year, each team has a different story and a different cast of characters. Each State Championship is special and unique and this may be the most unique and special out of the three considering the players who were injured, those who battled through their injuries, the mental toughness of players who had never been to State ( Ellie and Olivia) and came through big for us and the way each girl battled for each point at State. While Tennis is made up of individual players, this championship was clearly about the best TEAM, a TEAM where every girl made significant contributions to the success they experienced, a TEAM like Lone Peak Girls Tennis 2014.

2014 5A State Champions – Lone Peak Girls Tennis !!


Lady Knights Win Region- Varsity and JV !


The Girls Tennis Team completed the regular season on Sept. 26th with a win over American Fork, going undefeated for the 4th season in a row and putting their dual match winning streak at 66.

The Varsity Region tournament a few days later, found the Knights dominate with Region Championships going to Leah Heimuli @ 1st singles, Morgan Hall @ 2nd singles, Electra Cochran and Lauren Allen @ 1st doubles and Olivia Harkness and JJ Bitton @ 2nd doubles. Sophomore Ellie Slighting took 2nd @ 3rd singles.

Getting to this point for the Varsity was a long arduous process as the team lettered 13 different girls on Varsity, battled through 9 different injuries to players-shins,ankles, wrists, shoulders, concussions and more. The team used 11 different variations of a lineup for their 14 matches. Lost to the team due to injury was Annaliese County, our 3rd singles player, with a shoulder injury for the last five weeks of the season.

As the Varsity prepared for State, our Junior Varsity shined bright @ the Region JV Tournament, sweeping all positions. Championships went to Brooke Spencer @ 1st singles, Reagan Curtis @ 2nd singles, and Bailey Andrus @ 3rd singles. In doubles, Championships went to Cami Gricius and Rachel Neeleman @ 1st doubles, Hannah Bentley and Ava Curtis @2nd doubles, Annabelle Nielsen & Grace Thelin @ 3rd doubles and Aubrie Aagard & Sydney Sheffield @ 4th doubles.

Another spectacular season for the Lady Knights. With the undefeated season this year, this runs their overall record over the past 11 years to 144-10 and their Region record to 119-5 over that same period of time.