Cassens dominates opening two matches at district tennis

Decatur’s talented freshman tennis player, Meghan Cassens, seems destined to play Gig Harbor’s Christy Sipes in the girls singles final today at the West Central District Tournament.

The two top seeds from the South Puget Sound and Narrows leagues dominated in their opening two matches on Wednesday afternoon at the Sprinker Recreation Center in Spanaway.

Sipes, a sophomore, finished second at last year’s Class 4A State Championships. Cassens and Sipes also compete against each other at the Tacoma Lawn Tennis Club. Both are undefeated in singles’ action this spring.

Cassens beat Kentridge’s Vicky Tran in her district opener Wednesday at Sprinker, 6-0, 6-1. She then shut out Bethel’s Angi Alba in the quarterfinals, 6-0, 6-0.

Cassens’ teammate, Sara Lin, won her opening round match over Seul Gee So from Spanaway Lake, 6-2, 6-4, before falling to Sipes in the quarterfinals, 6-0, 6-0.

In girls doubles’ action, TJ’s Averi Kitsch and Mackenzie Qualls lost their opening-round match Wednesday to fall into the consolation bracket. The Beamer pair of Esther Song and Missy Canfield were eliminated after two-straight losses Wednesday.

On the boys’ side, the TJ doubles team of Joe Lee and Branden Muraki won their opening-round match Wednesday at the district tournament over Corey Thompson and Mark Junge of Gig Harbor, 6-3, 6-4, before losing in the quarterfinals, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1.

The Beamer team of Sean O’Bryan and Corey Zalewski lost their opener, but fought back in the consolation bracket to remain alive.

Jefferson’s Derek Moore and Makoa Rosa, Beamer’s Mike Johnson and Chase Friedrich and Decatur’s Alex Khudoliy and John An all lost their opening two matches at districts Wednesday.

Singles players Jake Stewart from Federal Way and Beamer’s Kyle Christensen were also both knocked out of the double-elimination tournament on the first day.

Contact Federal Way Mirror Sports editor Casey Olson at sports@fedwaymirror.com or (253) 925-5565 ext. 5056.

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