In temperatures around 50-degrees with the sun shining bright and wind whipping up with no notice at Plainfield North High School on Saturday, the Lady Celtics tennis team ended a 12-year dry-spell, winning their first Sectional Championship since 2001.
The team was represented by sophomore Hannah Davis and junior Elise Morris at singles and doubles teams of Mary Beth Galick/Lizzie Eggen and Maggie & Kelly Ruane. Davis and the Ruane twins were both the top seeds entering the tournament. Matches began on Friday afternoon. Elise Morris was eliminated in her match against Plainfield North's first singles player. Eggen and Galick fought hard but could not get past a talented second doubles team from Lockport Township High School. Davis and the Ruane twins advanced to the semifinals on Saturday and qualified for the State Tournament.
Davis beat Plainfield Central and the Ruane twins beat Lockport's first doubles team easily in two sets. That brought them both to the championship match, each having to play Joliet Catholic, which was the expected match-up, the second seeds in singles and doubles.
Amazingly both the singles and doubles championships were mirror competitions on separate courts. Davis won her first set easily 6-1, while the Ruane twins won 6-3. In the second set, both lost 6-1. Then in the third and deciding set, both were down 4-3, but came back to win 6-4.
A large crowd, including several college coaches scouting for talent, lined the fence next to the courts to watch the exciting action. It was an emotional roller coaster in both matches, looking like either JCA or Providence could win on each court. But the Celtics turned up their energy in the third set to take home the Sectional Championship plaque.
Head coach Ben Thompson was really happy with the effort his team made, given the very talented competitors from JCA. "We all expected it to be JCA and us in the championships," said Thompson, now in his fifth year as the Celtics head coach. "It really took a determined effort and mental toughness for Hannah and the twins to win. I'm very proud of them."
Davis and the Ruane twins will begin play in the State Tournament on Thursday.
