Above: Alison Slama (left) and Emelia Klanderrud celebrate winning bronze medals at the section tournament. Submitted photo.
ST. PETER – The season has ended for the Fairmont girls tennis team, but an unlikely duo competed in the individual section tournament.
Emelia Crandold and Alison Slama were an unlikely duo who managed to take third place in the individual section tournament.
Despite losing six seniors last year, the coaching staff had full confidence in their members.
“The four girls that came back were playing kind of the junior positions for us last year.” said assistant coach Tim Slama. “We lost one of our top girls, so we knew when we came in that we were going to have a very young team, and the top team in the section was very experienced. , we knew we were bringing back some of our top girls. So I think we were very impressed with the girls that stepped up and we knew it was going to be a young team. , I think we did really well overall.”
The team finished the season with 10 wins and 7 losses. In a bit of a rebuilding year, the team expects Emelia Klanderrud, Alison Slama, Ella Ubbena, Madisyn Payman, Carly Gustafsson and Katherine Zelaya to return next year and further strengthen Fairmont’s roster.
“One of the games against USC was 3-4 and one of the games we lost was really close because we held two match points before they won.” said Coach Slama. “So I think going 10-7 was really good for us being young and for the girls we lost to. That’s going to build on even more next year because even though we’re still young next year. , we’ll have six girls.”When we come back next year, these are the guys who played in our top spot. I think this bodes well for next year when we have a lot of girls and top players coming back. ”
Even though the team was eliminated early in the sectional round, it didn’t stop Fairmont’s top two singles players from pairing up and putting on a valiant run at the individual sectional level. Singles players Emelia Calderdo (14-6) and Alison Slama (17-4) liked the possibility of teaming up for the tournament.
“The seniors have been really great. They’ve all been so nice to us, so we’re hopeful that we might be able to make it to the state tournament next year.” Alison Slama said “Well, it was actually pretty exciting. It’s fun to do something like this at this age. And I knew what would happen if I did my best.”
Klanderud and Allison Slama beat River Valley and St. James for third place, losing to Maple Rivers’ Macy Soleand Kelsey Yeager 4-6, 2-6. She advanced to the third-place match, defeating St. James Alivia Romsdal and Ellie Anderson 6-2, 6-1.
The women’s team plans to come back better and stronger next year and hopes to extend their playoff berth.
“Next season, as far as individual tournaments go, we have to wait and see how next year’s season goes.” Klanderd said. “Well, a lot of things can change over the course of this summer, within myself, within our team, and within other schools. So before making any decisions about individuals for next year, We’ll have to wait and see how next year’s season goes.”
