Molson cruises to historic girls tennis title

ESSEX – Bea Molson climbed the ranks of Vermont highschool ladies tennis as quick as her returns blew previous her rivals.

The Mount Mansfield freshman hit the courtroom operating after spending final yr with the Cougars program as an eighth grader. And in her first official yr in Jericho, Molson soared to an undefeated title run.

In straight units, top-seeded Molson turned the primary ladies singles particular person champion in MMU prorgram historical past, ousting Burlington’s Georgia Wool 6-1, 6-4, at The Edge Sports activities and Health complicated in Essex on Saturday.

“It makes me really feel proud and excited as a result of it was our first one,” Molson mentioned of the title win. “I simply wished to signify Mount Mansfield as a result of weren’t a really massive college who wins quite a bit, so it was cool to lastly win.”

Molson, who broke each service from Wool en path to the dominating efficiency, leads a Cougars group with 9 freshmen to only one senior.

“We have got plenty of enthusiasm for ladies tennis,” MMU coach Sandra Fary mentioned. “There are plenty of ladies that wish to begin enjoying year-round and Bea has been an actual inspiration for our group and a pacesetter on our group that has simply kind of introduced out a ardour.”

MMU athletic director David Marlow: “It (the championship win) reveals how far our program got here and each coaches, Sandy and Edye Graning, have actually began to develop a tradition of women tennis in Jericho.”

Within the second set Molson, who solely dropped one set all the season — a 7-5 choice within the quarterfinals of the three-day event — seized a 5-4 benefit earlier than closing out the match and championship.   

“She’s a mannequin of etiquette. She’s clearly acquired lovely strokes and technique. And gamers lookup at her ability set and attempt to be like Bea in some methods,” Fary mentioned.

Extra: Vermont highschool tennis: Previous champions of the person event

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Earlier than the championship third-seeded Wool had received three of her 4 matches in straight units.

“Her degree of tennis is best than something that we have seen,” Graning mentioned of Molson. “And even at the moment there was tremendous excessive competitors, Georgia performed an outstanding match. She was hitting winners. A variety of credit score ought to go to each gamers.”

Regardless of the convincing win, Molson was reserved in her skills.

“Once I’m enjoying a match I do not actually prefer to suppose an excessive amount of,” Molson mentioned. “I simply type of use what’s behind my head. However I knew that I used to be a great participant. I simply I did not suppose I used to be going to go this far.”

O’Donnell wins boys singles crown

Nick O’Donnell claimed the boys singles title. The Burr and Burton junior bested Nathan Kim of Brattleboro 7-6, 6-2 for the person championship. 

O’Donnell, the top-seeded boys singles from the South area, beat South Burlington’s Sriram Sethuraman (6-3, 6-3) within the semifinals. He’s the second Bulldog in program historical past to be topped champion and first since Denis Krasnenkov in 2000.

Stowe ladies repeat in doubles

The Stowe tandem of Gabby Doehla and Kate Tilgner paired once more to win the women doubles championship for the second straight yr.

Doehla and Tilgner received the title 6-2, 6-1 over Wynne Adamson and Lilla Erdos of South Burlington. The Raiders duo received every of their three event matches in straight units — once more for the second-consecutive yr.

This was the third general title for Stowe in ladies doubles.

SJA tandem high boys doubles subject

St. Johnsbury’s Augustin Gil Tricio and Javier Berenguer Puche received in straight units (6-4, 6-2) over Burlington’s Nevin Morton and Kheim Nguyen.

Tricio, a local of Mexico, transferred a nationally ranked background in padel, a racket sport sometimes performed in doubles on a smaller floor than tennis, from his house state of Coahuila, right into a championship season with the Hilltoppers. 

Puche, initially from Spain, competed for Enviornment Tennis Alicante in his house nation earlier than attending SJA.

The duo, who’re primarily singles gamers, had by no means performed collectively earlier than the event and received every match in straight units as the highest seed.

“They’re each new this yr so I had by no means actually seen them play, however they each have good volleys and serves they usually performed nicely collectively,” St. Johnsbury coach Dan Bosco mentioned.

“I assumed they might work rather well as doubles they usually largely converse Spanish and are actually good mates and it simply appeared like it could work.”

It was the primary doubles title win for SJA since 2019 and second general.  

Contact Jacob Rousseau at JRousseau@gannett.com. Comply with on Twitter: @ByJacobRousseau