Willard tennis clinches share of fifth straight SBC Bay title

MILAN — The Willard girls tennis team clinched at least a share of a fifth straight SBC Bay Division championship on Tuesday with a 4-1 win over host Edison. The Crimson Flashes (16-2, 11-0) close out the regular season on Wednesday at Port Clinton (14-4, 10-1). The Redskins need to win to force a co-title between the two programs for a second straight season. "We know (Wednesday) will be a battle against a great, well-coached team," Willard coach Josh Bauerle said. "We don't like to share with anyone, but win or lose, I couldn't be more proud of the work these girls did to get a fifth straight title. "Four of the seven varsity regulars were first or second year players. Putting it all together this quickly is an incredible testament to the work they put in." Edison (9-6, 7-5) moved its top two singles players to first doubles for Tuesday's match. The Crimson Flashes cruised through singles play, sweeping all three spots by 6-0, 6-0 scores to clinch the match. Summer Kennard defeated Rihanna Dingle at first singles, while Naomi Schag and Maelyn Shaarda beat Tessa Otto and Ally Gardner at second and third singles, respectively. "It ended up being very fitting for our three singles players to clinch a title for us with the lineup switch," Bauerle said. "Those three have worked like crazy starting last November going to court one. There were days this summer where they would drive straight from open courts to court one for a clinic. For them to seal it for us was pretty special." At first doubles, Tori Keyser and Alli Vogus beat Vivian Barnett and Natalie Rothhaar (6-1, 6-2). The second doubles team of Ashley Hamons and Moriah Slone also won for Willard over Emily Moore and McKenna Shaffoe (6-3, 7-5). "It was a weird year," Bauerle said. "At one point we were 1-2 and I didn't know if it would be our year. But they kept working and getting the match experience they desperately needed to get ready for these big ones and somehow they ran off 16 straight wins in the process."