A young Hillsboro HIgh tennis team placed third among five teams at the Sterling Invitational on Thursday.
The Trojans finished with 12 points. Sterling won with 37, followed by Hutch Trinity with 27, then Hillsboro, St. John (10) and Greensburg (8).
Hillsboro placed third in both No. 1 and No. 2 doubles to lead the way. The No. 1 team of Kelsey Bartel and Becky Faber went 2-2, as did the No. 2 team of Elise Heyen and Hayley Pank?ratz.
In singles, Emma Heyen went 0-4 in No. 1 singles and Aubrey Meier was 2-2 in No. 2.
?This continues to be a steep learning curve for our inexperienced players,? coach Bob Woelk said. ?I was proud of Emma Heyen, who stepped in at No. 1 singles and held her own with the best players in the meet. Aubrey Meier at No. 2 singles did well also. Both players became stronger and more confident as the day went on.
?Becky Faber and Kelsey Bartel played well at times in No. 1 doubles, but they are still getting used to playing together,? he added. ?They lost some games they should have won, and they know that.
?Elise Heyen and Hayley Pankratz, No. 2 doubles, also gained good experience and are starting to jell as a combo.?
Hillsboro Invitational?The Trojans placed fifth among the six teams competing at the Hills?boro Invitational on Sept. 2.
The Trojans managed 13 team points to trail Hesston Red with 50, Nickerson and Wichita Collegiate with 29 and Hesston Black with 17. Clay Center scored 12 points.
Hillsboro?s best finish came in No. 1 singles, where sophomore Becky Faber placed third by defeating Kylie Combs of Nickerson in the first round, 8-7 (6), losing to Arianna Johnson of Collegiate 1-8 in the semifinals and then defeating Lauren Franz of the Hesston Black team, 8-1.
In No. 2 singles, senior Kelsey Bartel placed fourth. She received a first-round bye for her only win, then lost to Sarah Barber of Nickerson, 4-8, and Michaela Bognaes of Hesston Black, 2-8.
In No. 1 doubles, Emma Heyen and Aubrey Meier lost to Clay Center in the first round and then to Hesston Black in the consolation bracket for sixth.
In No. 2 doubles, Elise Heyen and Trisha Pankratz lost to Hesston Red in the first round and then to Hesston Black in the consolation bracket for sixth.
Coming?The Trojans are scheduled to compete this week at the Smoky Valley Invitational in Lindsborg on Thursday. Matches are to begin at 3 p.m.
On Saturday, the team travels to Hesston with a 9 a.m. start. The Trojans are then scheduled to return to Hesston on Tues?day for a tournament that begins at 3 p.m.
