Hoover girls tennis wins thriller over Jackson in battle of state powers
JACKSON TWP. The Polar Bears are never out of it.
You knew as much from the banner at the Jackson Park tennis courts on an idyllic Monday when one almost could forget the need to strap on a mask at a high school sports event, even in weather from heaven.
"Federal League champs, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 ..." That's just a snippet of the Jackson High School girls' 23 league titles since 1980, as proclaimed on the banner.
Hoover has kept the banner from getting too large, lately. Across the previous 12 seasons, Jackson won the Federal League championship outright in 2010 and 2016 and shared the title with Hoover in 2011. The Vikings won the league title outright the other nine years.
On a tense Monday, the state No. 4-ranked Vikings edged the No. 10 Polar Bears 3-2. Improving to 20-0 this season was far from a breeze.
"No matter what, no matter how good we are, it's always our toughest match, every year," Hoover head coach Ryan Shaffer said. "Jackson has great kids. They're very well coached. It's always great competition."
Hoover's Lilly Altman enjoyed the afternoon amid family, friends and teammates.
"Honestly, it's been a great year so far," she said after winning a first-rate match at second singles. "We're a really, really young team. I'm a junior, and I'm as old as anyone on the team.
"It's been so fun to getting to know these girls."
Hoover is getting along without graduated Laurel Utterback, the best player in the county in 2019.
The new No. 1 is freshman Tess Bucher, who topped Jackson's Emma Henson on Monday. Bucher has won every match in two sets. The closest (6-3, 7-5) was against St. Joseph Academy's Amara Brahmbatt, a fellow, nationally-ranked freshman.
Bucher has played tournaments in numerous states. She learned plenty right here at home from Utterback.
"I always really looked up to Laurel," Bucher said. "I was fortunate to play some against her two summers ago. When she's on the court, she gets to everything. When I thought she was out of a point, she would get back in it.
"I learned a lot from the way she played.“
Henson made Bucher work for points, but the freshman has a grown-up ability to answer tough shots, and she wrung out a 6-1, 6-1 win.
Altman patiently kept the ball in play at second singles. Jackson's Samantha Reese put up a good fight in both sets, taken 6-2 and 6-2 by Altman.
Jackson's Madison Altman (Lilly's first cousin) teamed with Paige Reese to outlast the Hoover duo of Izzy Warburton-Angelina Koinoglou 3-6, 7-6, 7-6 at first doubles.
Jackson's Rachael Williams won 6-2, 6-2 over Claire Wood at third singles, meaning the night came down to second doubles. There, Addy Utterback (Laurel's sister) and Cecilia Holben overcame Abby Williams and Divya Shanmugam 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Jackson head coach Jen Janson said her team is enjoying a strong year against good competition and is thankful there is a season to enjoy amid COVID-19.
Lilly Altman is taking nothing for granted.
"Before we were sure there would be a season, I tried to stay positive and not worry about 'what if,'" she said. "I'm still thinking that way, because you still don't really know."
Reach Steve at 330-580-8347 or steve.doerschuk@cantonrep.com
On Twitter: @sdoerschukREP
