1999 Girls Tennis State Finals

June 5, 1999

North Central High School, Indianapolis

North Central nets

record 10th state title

North Central's Jessica Groth grinded out a tough three-set victory in the deciding match and helped the Panthers collect the state championship in a 3-2 decision over Terre Haute South in the 25th IHSAA Girls Tennis State Finals.

With the team score tied at 2-2, Groth broke open a 3-3 deadlock in the third set to go up 5-3 on Terre Haute South's Helen Hildebrand at No. 3 singles. She won on triple match point to post her 23rd victory of the season against one loss in a three hour, 12 minute marathon, 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (7-4), 6-4. Hildebrand finished her year 19-2.

Played amid muggy conditions that had the temperature reach the low 90s, top-ranked North Central (21-1) collected the school's 10th state championship and second in three years. The Panthers were coached by Heather (Clark) Iffert, who guided her team to the title for the third time. She had previously been coach of winning teams in 1992 and 1997. In 1981, Iffert, then Heather Clark, won the state singles title in 1981 while playing for state champion Brebeuf.

North Central sophomore Brookley Crews, who won the state doubles title while at Park Tudor in 1998, won twice to finish her season at 25-1. She was the first North Central player off the courts after taking 46 minutes to defeat Terre Haute South's Allison Clary at No. 2 singles, 6-1, 6-2.

Laurel Snelson and Karin Agness accounted for North Central's other point after a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Ries Gillespie and Kristine Favila of Terre Haute South at No. 2 doubles.

Terre Haute South received victories from Lauren Clary at No. 1 singles and Jennifer Kirk and Kristen Clary at No. 1 doubles. Lauren Clary defeated North Central's Jessica Levin, 6-1, 6-4, while Kirk and Kristen Clary owned a 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 decision over Lindsay Ray and Meghan DeMars.

Ranked No. 5 in the final poll, Terre Haute South finished the year 16-1 after making the school's second appearance in the state finals. The Braves finished as the runner-up in 1981, falling to Iffert and Brebeuf in the finals. Terre Haute South, under coach Bill Blankenbaker, advanced to the championship round with a 3-2 victory over Muncie Burris in the semifinals. North Central defeated Penn in the other semifinal, 4-1.

Muncie Burris (22-1) defeated Penn (18-4) in the consolation match, 3-2.

LAUREL SNELSON NAMED MENTAL ATTITUDE AWARD WINNER

The Executive Committee of the Indiana High School Athletic Association named Laurel Snelson of North Central High School in Indianapolis as the recipient of the 1999 Mental Attitude Award in Girls Tennis.

Snelson, who teamed with Karin Agness at No. 2 doubles for the state champion Panthers, won twice on Saturday to finish the season at 18-1. Together, they won both the Metropolitan Conference championship at No. 2 doubles and the Marion County Tournament earlier in the spring.

Academically, Snelson ranks second in her senior class of 722 with a 4.92 GPA (4.0 scale). With more than 3,200 students, North Central is the largest four-year high school in the state. A member of the National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society, Snelson also is involved in Pep Band and Camp Fire Girls. She plans to study medicine at Indiana University.

The award is presented annually to the outstanding senior participant who demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability in tennis. Farm Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA corporate partner, awarded a $1,000 scholarship to North Central High School in the name of Snelson.

Team Results

Championship Match

North Central 3, Terre Haute South 2

Singles

1. Lauren Clary, junior, Terre Haute South def. Jessica Levin, senior, North Central, 6-1, 6-4.

2. Brookley Crews, sophomore, North Central def. Allison Clary, senior, Terre Haute South, 6-1, 6-2.

3. Jessica Groth, junior, North Central def. Helen Hildebrand, junior, Terre Haute South, 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (7-4), 6-4.

Doubles

1. Jennifer Kirk, junior/Kristen Clary, freshman, Terre Haute South def. Lindsay Ray, sophomore/Meghan DeMars, junior, North Central, 7-6 (7-3), 6-4.

2. Laurel Snelson, senior/Karin Agness, freshman, North Central def. Ries Gillespie, senior/Kristine Favila, senior, Terre Haute South, 6-4, 6-2.

Consolation Match

Muncie Burris 3, Penn 2

Singles

1. Melissa Woods, senior, Penn def. Rachel Morgan, senior, Muncie Burris, 6-2, 6-1.

2. Laura Whitney, junior, Penn def. Amy Behrman, Muncie Burris, 2-6, 6-2, 6-1.

3. Jessie Howard, junior, Muncie Burris def. Megan Surmacz, freshman, Penn, 6-4, 6-1.

Doubles

1. Lissi Willian, senior/Beth Montagno, senior, Muncie Burris def. Karen Chu, senior/Meryl Guyer, sophomore, Penn, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-2).

2. Shavon King, junior/Jacqueline Laboyteaux, junior, Muncie Burris def. Suzie Field, freshman/Emily Aker, junior, Penn, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3.

Semifinal Matches

North Central 4 , Penn 1

Singles

1. Melissa Woods, senior, Penn def. Jessica Levin, senior, North Central, 6-4, 0-1, retired.

2. Brookley Crews, sophomore, North Central def. Laura Whitney, junior, Penn, 6-1, 6-0.

3. Jessica Groth, junior, North Central def. Megan Surmacz, freshman, Penn, 6-1, 6-1.

Doubles

1. Lindsay Ray, sophomore/Meghan DeMars, junior, North Central def. Karen Chu, senior/Meryl Guyer, sophomore, Penn, 6-2, 6-3.

2. Laurel Snelson, senior/Karin Agness, freshman, North Central def. Suzie Field, freshman/Emily Aker, junior, Penn, 6-1, 6-0.

Terre Haute South 3, Muncie Burris 2

Singles

1. Lauren Clary, junior, Terre Haute South def. Rachel Morgan, senior, Muncie Burris, 6-1, 6-2.

2. Amy Behrman, junior, Muncie Burris def. Allison Clary, senior, Terre Haute South, 6-2, 6-2.

3. Helen Hildebrand, junior, Terre Haute South def. Jessie Howard, junior, Muncie Burris, 6-3, 6-0.

Doubles

1. Jennifer Kirk, junior/Kristen Clary, freshman, Terre Haute South def. Lissi Willian, senior/Beth Montagno, senior, Muncie Burris, 6-0, 6-2.

2. Shavon King, junior/Jacqueline Laboyteaux, junior, Muncie Burris def. Ries Gillespie, senior/Kristine Favila, senior, Terre Haute South, 6-4, 6-0.

Singles & Doubles Regional Results

June 5, 1999

North Central High School, Indianapolis

First Round Singles

Tyla Wells, sophomore, Paoli def. Whitney Maymon, junior, Floyd Central, 6-1, 6-1.

Gayal Jones, junior, Greensburg def. Emily Blinzinger, senior, Oakland City, 6-0, 6-4.

Jill Beem, senior, Knox def. Jamie Hamstra, junior, Kankakee Valley, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Tara Nofziger, senior, Elkhart Central def. Amanda Haskell, sophomore, Valparaiso, 7-5, 6-3.

Kara Sullivan, sophomore, Center Grove def. Brittany Clayton, sophomore, Southport, 6-1, 7-5.

Haley Heathman, senior, Lawrence Central def. Grace Wilhoite, junior, Connersville, 6-0, 6-3.

Zehra Mecuk, junior, Fort Wayne Northrop def. Kodie Bonebrake, junior, North Montgomery, 6-1, 6-3.

Alison Peckinpaugh, junior, Delta def. Lindsay Barnett, senior, Northfield, 6-0, 6-0.

Second Round Singles

Gayal Jones, junior, Greensburg def. Tyla Wells, sophomore, Paoli, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1.

Tara Nofziger, senior, Elkhart Central def. Jill Beem, senior, Knox, 6-2, 6-1.

Haley Heathman, senior, Lawrence Central def. Kara Sullivan, sophomore, Center Grove, 6-4, 6-3.

Zehra Mecuk, junior, Fort Wayne Northrop def. Alison Peckinpaugh, junior, Delta, 6-3, 6-2.

First Round Doubles

Dana Schitter, senior/Erin Giesler, senior, Jasper def. Mandy McCreight, senior/Lauren Scott, sophomore, Jeffersonville, 6-3, 6-0.

Katie Thopy, senior/Mandy Pouder, senior, Shelbyville def. Courtney Miller, senior/Crystal Taylor, junior, Washington, 6-4, 6-0.

Rebecca Strahm, senior/Heather Stasiak, junior, Glenn received a bye into second round.

Kara Kesler, sophomore/Liza Weidenbenner, freshman, Warsaw def. Amber Traylor, sophomore/Marcara Hostetler, freshman, New Prairie, 6-3, 6-0.

Mary Sanders, senior/Lori Wronowicz, junior, Bedford North Lawrence def. Liz Rufatto, senior,/Kristen Boyd, sophomore, Brebeuf, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.

Sarah Dukeman, junior/Emily Dukeman, junior, New Castle def. Emily Neukam, senior/Molly Cannon, senior, Carmel, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-2).

Lindsey Weber, junior/Holly Frisch, senior, East Noble def. Kelsey Stewart, senior/Renee Stewart, senior, Turkey Run, 7-5, 6-2.

Ashleigh Warner, senior/Natalie Hamilton, sophomore, Kokomo def. Alicia Allen, senior/Cara Warfield, senior, Alexandria, 6-3, 6-0.

Second Round Doubles

Dana Schitter, senior/Erin Giesler, senior, Jasper def. Katie Thopy, senior/Mandy Pouder, senior, Shelbyville, 6-3, 6-3.

Kara Kesler, sophomore/Liza Weidenbenner, freshman, Warsaw vs. Rebecca Strahm, senior/Heather Stasiak, junior, Glenn, 6-1, 6-1.

Mary Sanders, senior/Lori Wronowicz, junior, Bedford North Lawrence vs. Sarah Dukeman, junior/Emily Dukeman, junior, New Castle

Ashleigh Warner, senior/Natalie Hamilton, sophomore, Kokomo def. Lindsey Weber, junior/Holly Frisch, senior, East Noble, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.