For the first time since 2009, Livingston County had more than one player at the state girls tennis tournament.
That season, Brighton was the last team qualifier from the county.
Howell junior Estie Sura qualified individually for the second time, while Pinckney senior Amelia Girard broke a long drought for her school.
They headline the all-county team, which was selected by county coaches.
Amelia Girard
► School: Pinckney
► Class: Senior
► Flight: No. 1 singles
► Accomplishments: Girard became Pinckney’s first female state qualifier since Nikki Getsdian in 2003 by placing second at regionals. She was 13-6 overall and 5-1 in SEC White play. Girard will continue her tennis career at Olivet College.
Sydney Grisamer
►School: Brighton
► Flight: No. 1 singles
► Accomplishments: Grisamer went 13-9 in her first season at the top singles flight after playing No. 1 doubles as a freshman.
Arianna Kinney
►School: Hartland
► Class: Junior
► Flight: No. 2 singles
► Accomplishments: Kinney went 14-4, winning the KLAA “B” tournament and the Livingston County quad. She reached the semifinals at regionals.
Payton McConnaughey
►School: Fowlerville
► Class: Junior
► Flight: No. 1 singles
► Accomplishments: McConnaughey went 5-11. She was a team captain and an all-academic selection in the Capital Area Activities Conference.
Estie Sura
► School: Howell
► Class: Junior
► Flight: No. 1 singles
► Accomplishments: Sura became the first Livingston County player to reach the state semifinals since Brighton’s Jenny Nalepa at No. 1 singles in 2006. Sura became the county’s first regional champion since Brighton’s Maddie Miller in 2016, finishing 21-1.
Karenna Shinn
Stella Shinn
►School: Howell
► Class: Seniors
► Flight: No. 1 doubles
► Accomplishments: The Shinn twins went 4-12, beating Pinckney and losing a tough 6-3, 7-6 match against Hartland.
Hope Elliott
Jenna Vandezande
►School: Pinckney
► Class: Juniors
► Flight: No. 3 doubles
► Accomplishments: Vandezande played with three different partners at No. 3 doubles, posting a winning record with each. The Pirates were 4-1 at that flight and took second in the SEC White tournament following a late-season move to put Elliott at No. 3 doubles.
Taylor Drenchen
Mya Murawski
►School: Fowlerville
► Flight: No. 1 doubles
► Accomplishments: Drenchen and Murawski went 7-8, finishing second in the Livingston County quad with victories over Pinckney and Hartland.
Alexa Lockridge
Madey Ray
►School: Hartland
► Class: Juniors
► Flight: No. 4 doubles
► Accomplishments: Lockridge and Ray went 11-6, placing second at No. 5 doubles in the Livingston County quad and winning at No. 4 doubles in the KLAA “B” tournament.
Leah Hall
Ruby Pennala
►School: Brighton
► Class: Hall, junior; Pennala, sophomore
► Flight: No. 1 doubles
► Accomplishments: Hall and Pennala went 17-6, going unbeaten against county competition. They won the Livingston County quad, allowing only five points in six games over three matches. They won a first-round match at regionals.
SECOND TEAM
Singles
Kelly Melby, Howell
Maggie Uphouse, Pinckney
Morgan Thomas, Fowlerville
Rachel Fraser, Hartland
Kirsten Konye, Brighton
Doubles
Sienna McCurdy and Reese Marschall, Howell
Giorgia Beach and Bailey Villerot, Fowlerville
Charlotte Caramagno and Kennedy Causey-Kangas, Hartland
Isabella Otis and Charlotte Mandziuk, Brighton
HONORABLE MENTION
Scarlett Purcell and Madison King, Howell
Taylor Hack, Pinckney
Maisie Angerman, Pinckney
Anna Arnot, Fowlerville
Karissa Szczechowicz, Hartland
Zaylee Parrish, Hartland
Contact Bill Khan at wkhan@gannett.com. Follow him on X @BillKhan
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