Local Sports Journal
Two area teams are heading to the MHSAA boys Division 4 state tennis finals after strong showings in regional play on Thursday.
The host Ludington Orioles and the Whitehall Vikings were two of the three teams that qualified for the state finals, which will be next weekend in Holland.
Both competed in the Division 4 regional in Ludington. Ludington took the regional team championship while Whitehall finished third.
The Orioles qualified on the strength of a No. 2 doubles championship from the duo of Alec Johnson and Kaedin Plummer. Flight runners-up for Ludington were No. 2 singles player Nolan Meeker, No. 4 singles player Noah Laman and the No. 4 doubles duo of Abe Yeck and Aure Nigil.
Also heading to state to represent Ludington will be No. 1 singles player Austin Sniegowski, No. 3 singles player Ryan Schrader, the No. 1 doubles team of Ryan Lin and Ethan Leavitt and the No. 3 doubles duo of Mason Chapman and Aidan Brown.
Whitehall had two flight champions among their doubles teams. The No. 1 duo of Jack Dillivan and Tim Heimstra as well as the No. 3 doubles team of Drew Bolles and Jacob Herbert captured regional titles for the Vikings.
Andy Esh, the Vikings’ No. 1 singles player, finished runner-up in his flight, as did No. 3 singles player Conner Briegel.
The remaining Vikings to be heading to state next week include No. 2 singles player Erik Butzer, No. 4 singles player Connor Boyd, the No. 2 doubles team of Alec Milliron and Judd VanBergen and the No. 4 doubles team of Jack Zwemer and Andrew Tallquist.
Mona Shores’ No. 2 doubles team of Koby Gossett and Nick DeBruin won a regional championship in their flight at a Division 1 regional in Holland, but won’t be allowed to go to the state finals because their team finished fifth and didn’t qualify.
