LADY KNIGHTS ROCK IN SPRINGFIELD

The girls tennis team crowded the STATE medal stands on Saturday after third long day battling the best doubles and singles players in Missouri.  In the morning in the consolation brackets seniors Emma Shapiro and and Lena Wencker faced a tough 23-2 doubles team from Knob Noster and won 6-2, 6-1.  In the afternoon the ladies lost a to MICDS but their two wins had earned them a 6th place on the medal stand.

In singles competition, sophomore Hannah Tadros squared off against the eventual state champion from John Burroughs, fought hard in a losing effort.  In the afternoon, Hannah regrouped and faced a tough opponent from Excelsiior Springs.  Hannah used strong ground strokes, tough, deep topspin lobs and determination to get to every ball and won convincingly, 6-0, 6-0 for THIRD place in the STATE singles tourney.

 

In the doubles competition, seniors Janie King and Amelia Smith opened the day with a difficult task, to defend their 2015 State Doubles Title.  In the morning match Janie and Amelia opened with a very tough doubles team out of St Louis from Incarnet Word.  The girls dominated the net and were solid on the baseline as they rolled to a 6-2, 6-2 victory.   That set up the ladies to square off with a tough 23-3 doubles pair from Kennet, MO., who had just upset a good John Burroughs team.  The girls handled the Kennet booming serves and solid ground strokes with a great baseline game and net game of their own.  Janie and Amelia were nearly flawless from the baseline with solid serving, Amelia Smith's best game of her career from back court and the net, and the typical overpowering serves and suffocating net game of Janie King.  The result was some personal Barstow history for the girls becoming the first PAIR to repeat together as STATE CHAMPIONS, as well as some tennis history for Barstow tennis by winning their 6th doubles state title in the same decade.  

Saturday capped  a remarkable run for the Lady Knights, a fitting reward for summer off season preparation and three tough months of team work, dedication and hard work.  Congratulations ladies.