By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sport reporter
A rematch that was postponed for one year due to the pandemic will take place Friday when Ellie Zureick of Cooper plays Sara Wantanabe of Covington Latin in the singles championship match of the 9th Region girls tennis tournament at Notre Dame.
Zureick defeated Wantanabe in the 2018 and 2019 singles finals, but last year’s tennis season was cancelled amid health concerns caused by the pandemic. If Zureick wins a third region title on Friday, it’ll be listed as an upset because Wantanabe was awarded the top seed in this year’s bracket.
Cooper senior Ellie Zureick prepares to serve in her semifinal match. (Photo by Bob Jackson)
In their semifinal matches on Thursday, Wantanabe defeated Martine Hue of Notre Dame, 6-2, 6-3, and Zureick ousted Katherine Taylor of Beechwood, 6-0, 6-1, to set up their rematch at 4 p.m. Friday.
Zureick is a senior who recently signed an NCAA Division I letter of intent with Marist College in New York. Wantanabe is a sophomore trying to become Covington Latin’s first region champion in girls singles since 2001.
Notre Dame won both of the doubles semifinal matches on Thursday to clinch first place in the region tournament team standings.
Top-seeded Lauren Janzaruk and Taylor Meenach defeated Allyse Rassenfoss and Natalie Elleman of Conner, 6-2, 6-0, and second-seeded Hailey Fullkenkamp and Samantha Bailey got past Elizabeth Wintershiemer and Mehr Brar of Beechwood, 6-4, 6-3.
The doubles final will also be played at 4 p.m. Friday. Notre Dame has 11 points going into that match. Beechwood is in second place with nine points, but it doesn’t have anyone playing in the finals.
The quarterfinal rounds of the 10th Region boys and girls tennis tournaments are scheduled for Friday at Campbell County High School. The Camels have two top seeds — senior Sydney Melton and sophomore Izzy McDowell in girls doubles and senior Natalie Smith in girls singles.
Smith won the 10th Region girls singles title in 2019. She was region runner-up in 2018 and reached the semifinals in 2017.
Notre Dame doubles partners Hailey Fullkenkamp, left, and Samantha Bailey clap racquets after winning their region semifinal match. (Photo by Bob Jackson)
