The Altoona High School girls’ tennis team got its 2008 season off to a strong start, going 4-1 this week at meets in Eau Claire and Mondovi.

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   The Altoona High School girls’ tennis program enters its 21st season with hopes to build on last year’s success. In 2007, the Railroaders finished ahead of La Crosse Aquinas in sectionals and qualified for their second-ever berth into the WIAA Team State Tournament; however, the team lost 6-1 to Big Foot/Williams Bay in the state semifinals.

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The final score may have been 6-1 Big Foot/Williams Bay, but the Altoona girls’ tennis team delivered a strong performance across the board in the WIAA Division 2 state semifinals.

Ashley Schick and Sarah Norgren got the Railroaders’ lone win, defeating Julie Forsythe and Courtney Castelein 6-4, 6-4 at #3 doubles. Altoona also came close to victories with Lauren Kacvinsky and Stephanie Schick at #3 and #4 singles, respectively. Both players won their first set before eventually falling in three sets. Kacvinsky’s final set was close to the end, ending 6-4 in favor of the Chiefs’ Julie Kolnik.

Meanwhile, the Railroaders’ top doubles team of Grace Kressin and Ashley Watt went down to the wire in a first-set tiebreaker with the Chiefs’ Ellen Blum and Jen Yih, but were unable to pull out the victory and lost 7-6 (3), 6-3. In the top singles slot, Altoona’s Kristi Weinmeister put up a valiant effort but ultimately could not stay with two-time defending individual state champion Caroline Starck.

“This is the best I’ve seen the team perform as a team, top to bottom, from 1-singles all the way down to 3-doubles,” said Altoona coach Greg Emerson. “We had our chances at 3- and 4-singles, we had a chance at 1-doubles, and we got the 3-doubles. 1-6 doesn’t reflect how close it really was, score-wise.”

“The attitude of the girls was very very positive,” he added. “Some of them were sad at the end of the match, but they were happy with the way they played and they should have been.”

Big Foot/Williams Bay lost to the University School of Milwaukee 5-2 in the state final. Caroline Starck won for the Chiefs at #1 singles, while Pietkauskis and Lauterbach defeated the Wildcats’ Lisa Koenig and Susie Carter at #2 doubles. Koenig and Carter had defeated Altoona’s #2 doubles team of Alana Peck and Kirsten Pieterick at the individual state tournament last week.

A complete season recap will appear in the November 9 issue of the Star.

BIG FOOT/WILLIAMS BAY 6,
ALTOONA 1
Singles
#1: Caroline Starck (BF/WB) def. Kristi Weinmeister (A); 6-1, 6-1.
#2: Liz Starck (BF/WB) def. Hillary Jenness (A); 6-2, 6-0.
#3: Julie Kolnik (BF/WB) def. Lauren Kacvinsky (A); 5-7, 6-1, 6-4.
#4: Taylor Lauzon (BF/WB) def. Stephanie Schick (A); 5-7, 7-5, 6-1.
Doubles
#1: Ellen Blum/Jen Yih (BF/WB) def. Grace Kressin/Ashley Watt (A); 7-6 (3), 6-3.
#2: Jenny Pietkauskis/Maggie Lauterbach (BF/WB) def. Alana Peck/Kirsten Pieterick (A); 6-4, 6-2.
#3: Ashley Schick/Sarah Norgren (A) def. Julie Forsythe/Courtney Castelein (BF/WB); 6-4, 6-4.

The Altoona girls’ tennis team did not get the outcome they hoped for at WIAA Individual State, but their coach thinks getting a taste of playing in Madison will benefit the team at WIAA Team State on Saturday.

“Just the experience of going down there will help this weekend,” said coach Greg Emerson. “You can’t put a value on it. Our younger players were down there supporting and encouraging the players who were playing.”

And there were a lot of them playing. For the first time in team history, the Railroaders qualified six girls for the individual competition: two singles players and two doubles teams.

Kristi Weinmeister kept things close in her first set against Leslie Stauss of Racine St. Catherine’s, but ultimately fell 6-4, 6-1, while Hillary Jenness lost 6-1, 6-3 to Manitowoc Roncalli’s Natalie Foster, who finished fifth in the field of 28.

In doubles play, Grace Kressin and Ashley Watt lost 6-0, 6-2 to Helen Juffer and Christine McLinn of Shorewood, while Alana Peck and Kirsten Pieterick fell 6-1, 6-3 to Lisa Koenig and Susie Carter from the University School of Milwaukee.

“We came out a little scared – a little shaky – but we were able to battle back in most of the spots,” said Emerson.

The best news for the Railroaders is that, unlike most teams and most sports, they get a second chance at state. Altoona’s six individual qualifiers will be joined by the rest of their teammates – Lauren Kacvinsky and Stephanie Schick at #3 and #4 singles, respectively, and Ashley Schick and Sarah Norgren at #3 doubles – for WIAA Team State on Saturday.

“You have to think of the state tournament as just another tournament, even though it’s not,” said Emerson. “If you go in with confidence, you’ve got a better shot.”

The Railroaders will face Big Foot/Williams Bay in the state semifinals and would play either Green Bay Notre Dame or University School of Milwaukee in the championship match.

“It will be a tough match against Big Foot/Williams Bay,” said Emerson. “Their top singles player won the whole thing (individually), and her older sister did well too.”

Emerson said he expects the Railroaders to have a sizable following in Madison, including a contingent of middle school tennis players staying at the team hotel.

“We want to encourage the young kids to go down there and see that level of competition,” said Emerson. “The kids are showing interest and that’s good for the program.”
Altoona’s semifinal match against Big Foot/Williams Bay is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. at Madison’s Nielsen Tennis Stadium. The championship match is set for 2:00 p.m.

WIAA Individual State Results
Thursday, October 11
Singles
Leslie Stauss (Racine St. Catherine’s) def. Kristi Weinmeister (Altoona); 6-4, 6-1.
Natalie Foster (Manitowoc Roncalli) def. Hillary Jenness (Altoona); 6-1, 6-3.
Doubles
Helen Juffer/Christine McLinn (Shorewood) def. Grace Kressin/Ashley Watt (Altoona); 6-0, 6-2.
Lisa Koenig/Susie Carter (University School of Milwaukee) def. Alana Peck/Kirsten Pieterick (Altoona); 6-1, 6-3.

WIAA Team State Schedule
Saturday, October 20
9:00 a.m.: Altoona vs. Big Foot/Williams Bay
9:00 a.m.: Green Bay Notre Dame vs. University School of Milwaukee
2:00 p.m.: State Championship

Altoona vs. Big Foot/Williams Bay
(Altoona players listed first)
Singles
#1: Kristi Weinmeister (17-4) vs. Caroline Starck (33-1).
#2: Hillary Jenness (16-8) vs. Liz Starck (29-3).
#3: Lauren Kacvinsky (19-2) vs. Julie Kolnik (21-7).
#4: Stephanie Schick (18-1) vs. Taylor Lauzon (14-11).
Doubles
#1: Grace Kressin/Ashley Watt (20-5) vs. Ellen Blum/Jen Yih (20-13).
#2: Alana Peck/Kirsten Pieterick (20-4) vs. Jenny Pietkauskis/Maggie Lauterbach (23-8).
#3: Ashley Schick/Sarah Norgren (17-1) vs. Julie Forsythe/Courtney Castelein (13-13).

Four Altoona girls’ tennis players qualified for the WIAA Individual State Tournament and the entire Railroader varsity earned its second-ever trip to WIAA Team State with an outstanding team performance at sectionals in Durand on Thursday, October 4.

The four individual qualifiers represent the best showing in Altoona history, while the Railroaders will be making their first appearance at team state since 2001.

“I said at state then, our goal for the program was to get back within five to seven years,” said Altoona coach Greg Emerson. “This will be the sixth year.”

Altoona’s Alana Peck and Kirsten Pieterick won the #2 doubles championship over Kylie Mannion and Maddy Skemp of La Crosse Aquinas in the second-to-last match of the day to clinch the sectional team championship for the Railroaders, earning themselves a berth at the individual state meet in the process.

Also qualifying for the individual meet for Altoona were the #1 doubles team of Grace Kressin and Ashley Watt, as well as the Railroaders’ top two singles players, Kristi Weinmeister and Hillary Jenness. Kressin and Watt finished third in their flight, losing a three-set match in the semifinals, while Weinmeister also finished third at #1 singles, sandwiching big wins over Barron’s Jessica Warnberg and Black River Falls’ Ashley Pope around a semifinal loss to Mary Roop of Aquinas. Meanwhile, Jenness placed second to Brooke Boisvert of Aquinas at #2 singles but will advance to state as a special qualifier. While the top four finishers at #1 flights advance to state, #2 players have to win their flights to earn trips to Madison unless they receive special qualification.

Though their contributions could not earn them individual berths to state, the play of the Railroaders’ #3 and #4 flights was instrumental in Altoona qualifying for team state.

Lauren Kacvinsky finished second at #3 singles, while Stephanie Schick defeated Allison Wettstein of Aquinas 6-0, 6-4 to win the #4 singles flight. Ashley Schick and Sarah Norgren topped a Baldwin-Woodville duo in their flight’s semifinals before shutting out Osceola 6-0, 6-0 to win the title at #3 doubles.

In the end, the Railroaders finished with 46 points, while Aquinas placed second with 41. The next closest competitor, Osceola, was well behind with 28 points. Altoona had finished second to Aquinas at last year’s sectional tournament.

“The seeding fell very well to our advantage due to the records the girls had in the season,” said Emerson. “And the girls’ perseverance to never give up was key.”

Altoona opened play at the individual meet on Thursday night in Madison, but those matches had not been completed at press time and will be featured in next week’s edition of the Star. The Railroaders could continue to play through Saturday, depending on their results. The entire team will return to Madison on Saturday, October 20, for team state, where they will face Big Foot/Williams Bay in the semifinals at 9:00 a.m. With a win, the Railroaders would advance to a 2:00 p.m. final against either Green Bay Notre Dame or University School of Milwaukee.

“The number one goal is to make sure the girls are having fun when they’re down there, so they play relaxed,” said Emerson. “Just play in the now. We’ve always said from the get-go, we want to have fun, have confidence, be intense, and play aggressive.”

The Altoona girls’ tennis team had a very strong showing in the WIAA subsectionals at La Crosse Aquinas on Monday, advancing all seven flights to sectional play with victories.

The Railroaders earned first-round byes at both #1 singles and #1 doubles, with top singles player Kristi Weinmeister defeating Mondovi’s Brittany Ambrose 6-1, 6-1 to advance. Meanwhile, Altoona’s top doubles pair defeated an Eau Claire Regis team, 6-4, 6-0 to move on to face Unity/Luck at sectionals.

Altoona had to win two matches at each of the other flights, doing so in two sets each with the exception of the final #2 doubles match, where Alana Peck and Kirsten Pieterick pulled out a three-set win, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-1.

Coach Greg Emerson said this was the first time in team history the entire team advanced to sectionals. That round was played in Durand on Thursday after the Star had gone to press and will be featured in next week’s edition. The winners of Thursday’s sectional round will advance to WIAA Individual State in Madison October 11-13. WIAA Team State will take place in Madison on October 19 and 20.

Singles
#1: Kristi Weinmeister (A) def. Brittany Ambrose (Mondovi); 6-1, 6-1.
#2: Hillary Jenness (A) def. Laura Justin (Onalaska Luther); 6-2, 6-3.
Jenness (A) def. Caitlin Pickard (Mondovi); 6-2, 6-1.
#3: Lauren Kacvinsky (A) def. Melinda Laudon (Black River Falls); 6-1, 7-5.
Kacvinsky (A) def. Becca Ruesch (Medford); 6-2, 6-0.
#4: Stephanie Schick (A) def. Stephanie Johnson (Durand); 6-1, 6-0.
Stephanie Schick (A) def. Stephanie Cox (Onalaska Luther); 6-3, 6-2.

Doubles
#1: Grace Kressin/Ashley Watt (A) def. J. Folstad/R. Preston (Eau Claire Regis); 6-4, 6-0.
#2: Alana Peck/Kirsten Pieterick (A) def. C. Bahnub/A. Hegna (Black River Falls); 6-3, 6-2.
Peck/Pieterick (A) def. B. Dahl/J. Ruesch (Medford); 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-1.
#3: Ashley Schick/Sarah Norgren (A) def. C. Kress/M. Johnson (Eau Claire Regis); 6-0, 6-0.
Ashley Schick/Norgren (A) def. A. Rush/M. Deno (Black River Falls); 6-4, 7-5.

The Altoona girls’ tennis team claimed supremacy of the Chippewa Valley Tennis Conference in convincing fashion on Saturday, sweeping all seven flights and losing only one set in the conference tournament held at Altoona and Eau Claire Regis.

“The expectations were set, since our girls have beaten these people before, but for all the girls to do it again and make a clean sweep of the conference… it’s never been done before,” said Altoona coach Greg Emerson. “It’s awesome.”

All seven flights were seeded either first or second in the six-team field for the Railroaders, giving each a first-round bye. Kristi Weinmeister, who was playing #1 singles for the first time after moving up from the #2 spot after a challenge match in practice, responded by defeating Barron’s Jessica Warnberg 6-3, 6-4 and Bloomer’s Trista Arendt 6-1, 6-2 to win the title from her second-seeded position.

“Kristi has shown great determination at #1 singles,” said Emerson. “She won the last five games to win 6-4 in the second set” against Warnberg.

Meanwhile, the Railroaders’ top-seeded #1 doubles team of Grace Kressin and Ashley Watt defeated teams from Eau Claire Regis and Medford in two sets each to claim the championship, improving to 16-2 on the season. Altoona also parlayed top seeds into tournament victories at the other two doubles flights, with Kirsten Pieterick and Alana Peck catching fire after a close first set in the semifinals to defeat Medford 6-3, 6-0 in the finals at #2 doubles. The #3 doubles team of Sarah Norgren and Ashley Schick cruised through their bracket, losing a total of only three games in two matches en route to victory.

“The doubles teams always find a way to win,” said Emerson.

Lauren Kacvinsky and Stephanie Schick also confirmed their top seeds with flight victories at #3 and #4 singles, respectively.

That left only top-seeded #2 singles player Amy Hartl of Marshfield Columbus standing between the Railroaders and a conference sweep. With a large crowd congregated to watch the final match of the tournament, Altoona’s Hillary Jenness rebounded from a first-set loss to dominate the second set and then pulled out a thrilling third-set victory to complete the sweep, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.

“It’s the end of the season, so to speak, and then a new season starting with subsectionals next week,” said Emerson. “Our goal as a team is to get everyone to sectionals this year.

“Just looking at how everyone on the team has improved, there isn’t a ‘most improved player’ at this point,” he added. “It would be more like a ‘most improved team.’ Things will come down to how we play (at subsectionals), but I know we’ll be ready.”

Team Standings: Altoona 42, Medford 21, Marshfield Columbus 16, Barron 15, Bloomer 11, Eau Claire Regis 7.

Singles
#1: Kristi Weinmeister (A) def. Jessica Warnberg (Ba.); 6-3, 6-4.
Weinmeister (A) def. Trista Arendt (Bl.); 6-1, 6-2.
#2: Hillary Jenness (A) def. Brittany LeGesse (Bl.); 6-3, 6-4.
Jenness (A) def. Amy Hartl (MC); 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.
#3: Lauren Kacvinsky (A) def. Mayeus (MC); 6-1, 6-3.
Kacvinsky (A) def. Studinger (M); 6-0, 6-3.
#4: Stephanie Schick (A) def. Geraghty (ECR); 6-0, 6-1.
S. Schick (A) def. Ruesch (M); 6-3, 6-1.

Doubles
#1: Grace Kressin/Ashley Watt (A) def. Folstad/Preston (ECR); 6-3, 6-2.
Kressin/Watt (A) def. Hayden/Sackmann (M); 6-4, 6-0.
#2: Kirsten Pieterick/Alana Peck (A) def. Seitz/Candler (Ba.); 7-5, 6-0.
Pieterick/Peck (A) def. Ruesch/Dahl (M); 6-3, 6-0.
#3: Sarah Norgren/Ashley Schick (A) def. Felix/Zwiefelhofer (Bl.); 6-1, 6-1.
Norgren/A. Schick (A) def. Ogle/Nuernberger (M); 6-0, 6-1.

Photograph by Derek Hagen

The Altoona girls’ tennis team sent both its top two doubles teams to the state meet last year, but with all four players graduating, coach Greg Emerson didn’t know what to expect from his doubles squads heading into this season.

Luckily, a pair of longtime friends playing competitive tennis with each other for the first time claimed the top doubles’ spot and have had great success so far this season. Seniors Grace Kressin and Ashley Watt are 14-2 on the season as of September 15, helping lead the Railroaders to a 15-2 team record on the year. That mark is especially impressive since Watt is in only her second year of competitive tennis, having joined the program at the junior varsity level last season, while Kressin has generally played varsity doubles with other partners in the past.

“As a coach, I was surprised to have a #3 doubles player and a JV doubles player from last year click that well and have that good of a record at #1 doubles,” Emerson said. “But they mesh together and complement each other well on and off the court.”

That chemistry is quickly apparent when talking to the duo. In addition to tennis, they participate in several other activities together, including choir, National Honor Society, Commonground youth group at Valleybrook Church, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

“We’ve been best friends since we were four years old,” said Watt. “We do everything together.”

“We even share a locker,” added Kressin. “We like to say that we’re pretty much the same person.”

They also share a common approach to the game of tennis.

“Our goal has always been to have fun first, and to win second,” said Kressin.

“We play for fun,” echoed Watt. “It’s a fun sport. We laugh a lot, and even when we lose, we smile.”

Another commonality is their mutual penchant for quirky mottos, which range from “fast hands, quick feet, take control, bring the heat” to “one-dubs is fun-dubs”, in reference to playing in the #1 doubles spot. They even have a very detailed system of comparing nearly every facet of a tennis match to a football game, which was devised on the spot during a match.

Whatever the secret to their success is, it works. They have already knocked off one 2006 state participant team and have defeated several other highly-regarded two-somes.

“We put a lot of time into it over the summer,” Watt said. “Besides our team camp, we play at least 20 matches on our own time.”

They credited Emerson for his coaching and commitment to the program.

“(Emerson) pretty much devotes three-quarters of his year to tennis,” said Watt.
Emerson has gotten the most from an experienced roster that includes seven seniors on the roster this season, and commended them all for their work ethic.

“We just have a team of all great kids, on and off the court,” Emerson said. “It’s not just about tennis, it’s about teaching kids how to be good people in addition to good players.”

As for Kressin and Watt, they hope to continue their on-court success at the Chippewa Valley Tennis Conference meet on Saturday and into the playoffs.

“The goal from here on out is to win one game at a time,” Watt said.

“And have fun doing it,” Kressin added.

That last line may have been stating the obvious. After all, “one-dubs is fun-dubs”.

The Altoona girls’ tennis team defeated two out of three opponents at a quadrangular meet in New Richmond on Saturday.

Altoona defeated host New Richmond 4-3, winning two of four singles matches as well as two of three doubles matches. Hillary Jenness and Stephanie Schick won singles matches in two sets, while the Railroaders got wins at #1 and #3 doubles against the Tigers.

The Railroaders did not fare as well against River Falls, falling to the Wildcats 4-3. Schick and Lauren Kacvinsky picked up singles victories, while the #3 doubles team of Sarah Norgren and Ashley Schick won their second match of the day.

Finally, the Railroaders rebounded with a 6-1 win over Rice Lake that saw the top three singles players and all three doubles teams emerge with victories. Jenness, Kacvinsky, Ashley Schick, and the top doubles team of Ashley Watt and Grace Kressin all recorded 6-0 set victories en route to two-set wins.

ALTOONA 4, NEW RICHMOND 3
Singles
#1: Hillary Jenness (A) def. Molly Heintz (NR); 6-4, 6-4.
#2: Lauren Kvam (NR) def. Lauren Kacvinsky (A); 7-5, 6-3.
#3: Stephanie Schick (A) def. Maddie Frank (NR); 6-1, 6-3.
#4: Shelley Stockey (NR) def. Stefanie Gessert (A); 6-2, 7-5.
Doubles
#1: Ashley Watt/Grace Kressin (A) def. Kvam/Peterson (NR); 6-4, 6-1.
#2: Stai/Kleiner (NR) def. Alana Peck/Kirsten Pieterick (A); 7-5, 2-6, 10-6.
#3: Sarah Norgren/Ashley Schick (A) def. Andersia/Stockey (NR); 7-5, 4-6, 10-7.

RIVER FALLS 4, ALTOONA 3
Singles
#1: Martina Yohn (RF) def. Hillary Jenness (A); 6-2, 6-2.
#2: Lauren Kacvinsky (A) def. Sam Litch (RF); 6-3, 6-4.
#3: Stephanie Schick (A) def. Emily Anderson (RF); 6-2, 6-3.
#4: Jenny Pierce (RF) def. Stefanie Gessert (A); 6-3, 6-2.
Doubles
#1: Kaiser/Chavey (RF) def. Ashley Watt/Grace Kressin (A); 6-2, 6-4.
#2: Nelson/Szotkowski (RF) def. Alana Peck/Kirsten Pieterick (A); 4-6, 6-2, 10-7.
#3: Sarah Norgren/Ashley Schick (A) def. Ambur/Biel (RF); 6-3, 6-1.

ALTOONA 6, RICE LAKE 1
Singles
#1: Hillary Jenness (A) def. Jenessa Demers (RL); 6-3, 6-0.
#2: Lauren Kacvinsky (A) def. Alyssa Rau (RL); 6-0, 6-2.
#3: Ashley Schick (A) def. Amy Brendel (RL); 6-0, 6-2.
#4: Faith Lindner (RL) def. Kalia Xiong (A); 6-3, 6-3.
Doubles
#1: Ashley Watt/Grace Kressin (A) def. Meyers/Wedtke (RL); 6-0, 6-2.
#2: Alana Peck/Kirsten Pieterick (A) def. Sadowski/Hegerova (RL); 6-2, 6-3.
#3: Grace Krizan/Hannah Kaiser (A) def. ShipmanTimmers (RL); 6-3, 6-4.