LocalSportsJournal.com
The North Muskegon girls tennis team is becoming a local dynasty.
The Norse cruised to their third straight Greater Muskegon Athletic Association Tennis Tournament championship Saturday at Spring Lake High School.
The Norse finished with 44 team points, followed by Whitehall (35), Reeths-Puffer (29), Mona Shores and Fruitport (25) and Muskegon Catholic (10).
Mona Shores No. 1 singles champ Sophie Gossett. Photo/Jason Goorman
North Muskegon had four flight champions and two runners-up.
Winning individual titles for North Muskegon were Brittany Bailey (No. 2 singles), Paige Twining (No. 3 singles), Molly Huisingh and Lauren Bliss (No. 1 doubles) and Tess Wilson and Mary Hoopes (No. 2 doubles).
Runners-up for the Norse were Alexis Bailey (No. 1 singles) and Lauren Golden and Tori Larsen (No. 4 doubles).
“When I started, there was already a great tradition here at North Muskegon. This team has just been a continuation,” said North Muskegon coach Joe Gentle who started coaching for the Norse in 1989. “This is especially good for the girls to see this still going. For my last season it’s even more satisfying to see them continuing like this. I give them all the credit. We have a summer program and all but they put the time in.”
Top individual honors went to Sophie Gossett of Mona Shores, who defeated Alexis Bailey 6-4, 6-1 in the No. 1 singles championship match.
North Muskegon’s Alexis Bailey gets to the back court to keep the rally going. Photo/Jason Goorman
The junior finished in third place last year in No. 1 singles.
“It feels good,” Gossett said. “I haven’t won city yet. I really wanted it. I had to focus on every single point.”
Other flight champions were Vanessa Heylmun of Whitehall (No. 4 singles), Taylor Szost and Haley Vanderwall of Reeths-Puffer (No. 3 doubles) and Brooke Bachelder and Brooke Sheesley of Whitehall (No. 4 doubles).
