Laramie Tennis Falls Short in Season Opening Dual Match

It was a tough season debut for the Laramie High School tennis teams on Monday, as they were beaten at home by Kelly Walsh.

The score of the girls’ match was 4-1 in favor of the Trojans, while the boys were swept by KW, 5-0.

Laramie’s lone victory came at girls’ No. 2 doubles when Summertime Gerdes and Teagan Riedel rallied for a three-set win, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Head coach Elizabeth Clower said that after a week of practice, she could see the nerves and greenness got to her team.

“We’re a little young, a little inexperienced, but I saw some good things. We were in a lot of points. We had a lot of deuce games. Just that inconsistency of being new players in a new situation.”

Laramie played without its No. 1 singles player on the lady’s side and return only two varsity players from its boys’ roster a year ago.

Clower said, “Except for one player, who had played singles but not a lot, the others hadn’t played singles at all, plus new doubles teams, but I’m looking for good things in the future.”

Laramie’s schedule has now changed. Their match at Rawlins on Friday, Aug. 21 has been postponed and will be rescheduled for a later date.

This will allow for additional practice time for LHS. Coach Clower added it will be going through skills and drills.

“We’ve got to get those basic skills down. Be able to hit 20 balls in a row in-play, no matter what’s happening. (We will work on) Basic footwork, move, and also how to play singles, how to play doubles; where’s the right place to be, how to work with my partner; so just the basics.”

Their next match is on Thursday, Aug. 27 versus Cheyenne Central.

Girls = Kelly Walsh 4 Laramie 1

1S: Finley Klinger (KW) def. D.J. Giron (Lar): 6-0, 6-0

2S: Lily Putnam (KW) def. Kylee Cox (Lar): 6-1, 6-0

1D: Blumberg/Strand (KW) def. Kersey/Vasquez (Lar): 7-6, 6-1

2D: Gerdes/Riedel (Lar) def. Wilson/Allsop (KW): 2-6, 6-4. 6-4

3D: Nokes/Catchpole (KW) def. Abawe/Moore (Lar): 6-4, 6-2

Boys = Kelly Walsh 5 Laramie 0

1S: Austin Putnam (KW) def. Samuel Johnson-Noya (Lar): 6-1, 6-2

2S: Jackson Catchpole (KW) def. Sam Alexander (Lar): 6-0, 6-3

1D: Harris/Rasmussen (KW) def. M. Johnson-Noya/Miller (Lar): 6-2, 6-2

2D: Philips/Yakel (KW) def. Callahan/Tillman (Lar): 6-0, 6-1