BY PAUL KAMPE
Clarkston News Staff Writer
The Clarkston High School girls tennis squad is heading to the state playoffs on Oct. 20-21 in Bay City after an extraordinary day, both in its play and the weather.
The state regional playoffs the Wolves were zoned into at, were altered by the earliest snow in Michigan’s history on Oct. 12. The teams, scheduled to play at three separate locales that day, were bussed to Deer Lake Athletic Club in Independence Township (singles play) and Lifetime Fitness (doubles matches) in Rochester. The teams began their day at 8 a.m. at Rochester High School and some schools played until 10:30 p.m.
All eight of Clarkston’s flights of players seeded in the top two positions going into the day’s matches, seven would find themselves in the finals later in the day.
Four flights were victorious in the event: No. 3 singles Nicole Janek, No. 4 singles Blair McCarty, No. 2 doubles Andrea Scarlett and Kelli McKay and No. 3 doubles Kayla Sweeny and Stephanie Kincaid.
McCarty, trailing 5-2 in the third and decisive set, was cheered and coached by Assistant Coach Geraldine Parkinson while playing West Bloomfield’s Amanda Goldstone in the championship match.
‘Blair responded like the champion she is and won the next five games,? said Coach Craig Judd.
‘Her effort not only won the gold medal, but more significantly contributed to the greater cause- the team’s victory.?
The points from McCarty’s victory put Clarkston in a tie with West Bloomfield in total team points, at 27 apiece.
‘The doubles teams really stepped up big to produce much needed points,? Judd added.