High school tennis: Highland surprised by Wooster at Medina Doubles Classic

MEDINA — There was good news and bad news for the Highland girls tennis team Saturday at the Medina Doubles Classic. The good news is the Hornets won titles at second and third doubles, but the bad news is Wooster edged favored Highland 28-26 for the team crown at the eight-school event. Among other Medina County schools, Wadsworth (19) was third, Medina (13) was seventh and Brunswick (10) was eighth. Wooster won the crown based on a first-place finish at first doubles, two second-places and one third, while Highland took third at first doubles and was fifth at fourth doubles, where Mackenzie Pawlak and Alli Williams suffered a heartbreaking 11-9 loss in a 10-point, third-set tiebreaker in the first round. The most impressive Hornets on a perfect day weather-wise were the second doubles pair of Jo Oberholtzer and Ally Haynes and the third doubles tandem of Evy Boucher and Ella Gillin. Two-time All-Gazette pick Oberholtzer, a second singles player in the regular season, and talented freshman Haynes, normally a third singles player, cruised to a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Wooster's Emma Boreman and Alexia Kakanura in the championship match. "It was really fun and I enjoy playing with Jo," Haynes said. "I like to volley, so I like to have chances at the net." Oberholtzer, who hit a number of great shots down the line, began her high school career as a human backboard but has worked hard to learn how to finish points. "I was athletic, so I would just doink it back," the junior said of the beginning of her career. "I worked with (assistant coach) Tony (Sgambati) at being more offensive and getting to the net." Haynes and Oberholtzer are hoping to play doubles together at the Springside Division I Sectional, where they would have a legitimate chance of qualifying for the Springside District. "We mesh well because she likes to play the ad side and I play the deuce side," Oberholzer said. "We're really good friends. We always stay positive, and that keeps us up. We connect on the court." Sophomores Gillin and Boucher, who are playing second doubles together in regular-season matches for the second straight year, displayed the same rapport in downing Wadsworth's Sophia Fry and Lauren Ball 6-1, 6-0 in their championship match. "I thought we played really strong in the final match," Gillin said. "It was awesome that we were able to pull out the win. I have an amazing partner and we were both really finishing at the net." Added Boucher: "We're best friends, so it makes playing on the court really easy. We always know where each other is." Fry and Ball, who joined fourth doubles teammates Lizzy Edwards and Laryn Pelkey in finishing second for the Grizzlies, were pleased to record two victories and reach the championship match. "I didn't think we were going to do as well as we did," said Fry, a junior. "We ended up playing well and making good shots." Added Ball, a freshman: "My partner was great. She kept me motivated the whole time. (Highland) just had some great shots down the alley and winners we couldn't get to." The upset of the tournament came when 2020 Highland state doubles qualifiers Sarah Sgambati and Maddie Pawlak fell 6-4, 4-6, 12-10 to Mentor's Payton Sikora and Gia Paglio in the semifinals. The Hornets had match point at 9-8 and didn't close but came back to win their third-place match. Medina was led by a third-place finish from the second doubles pair of Eve Chester and Megan Nuske, while teammates Ella Anderson and Sophia Kichurchak placed fourth at fourth doubles. Brunswick's best showing came at first doubles, where three-time All-Gazette pick Calista Bobula and Sydney Estok won their final two matches to finish fifth. Contact Rick Noland at (330) 721-4046 or rnoland@medina-gazette.com. Follow him @RickNoland on Twitter. Results Standings: 1. Wooster 28; 2. Highland 26; 3. Wadsworth 19; 4. North Royalton 18; 5. Strongsville 16; 6. Mentor 14; 7. Medina 13; 8. Brunswick 10. First doubles: 3. Sarah Sgambati/Maddie Pawlak (H); 5. Calista Bobula/Sydney Estok (B); 7. Chloe Porter/Hayden Hassinger (W); 8. Makayla Muchowski/Hailey Kindall (Med). Second doubles: 1. Jo Oberhaus/Ally Haynes (H); 3. Eve Chester/Megan Nuska (Med); 6. Allie McCall/Autumn Brown (W); 7. Jessica Bisesar/Gillian Brown (B). Third doubles: 1. Evy Boucher/Ella Gillin (H); 2. Sophia Fry/Lauren Ball (W); 7. Clarissa Feitl/Megan Steffen (B); 8. Malea Easton/Emersen Willis (Med). Fourth doubles: 2. Lizzy Edwards/Laryn Pelkey (W); 4. Ella Anderson/Sophia Kichurchak (Med); 5. Mackenzie Pawlak/Alli Williams (H); 7. Bella Chismar/Mackenzie Daugherty (B).