McCook netters fall in state quarterfinals

Jon Buhlmann/McCook Daily Gazette McCook senior Brianna Watkins, shown here, and Jessica Jankovits played No. 1 doubles at the Nebraska Class B girls state tournament. They beat Norris 6-2, 6-2 and Lexington 5-7, 7-6 (7-0), 6-3 before falling to Grand Island Central Catholic 6-3, 6-1.

LINCOLN -- The McCook Bison girls tennis squad's No. 2 singles players and Nos. 1 and 2 doubles teams were knocked out in the quarterfinals of the Nebraska Class B state tournament Thursday.

The Bison were tied for ninth place after the first day of play with 16 points.

The tournament, being played at the Lincoln Tennis Center, will conclude with the semifinals and finals today.

Jon Buhlmann/McCook Daily Gazette McCook High School's Kelsey O'Dea, shown here returning a shot, and Amy Been teamed up with at No. 2 doubles at state. They went on to defeat Waverly 6-4-6-4 to advance to quarterfinals.

In No. 2 singles, McCook's Hanah Swanhorst defeated South Sioux City's Emily Jones 6-0, 6-2 in the first round and Kearney Catholic's Janna Montgomery 6-2, 6-1 in the second round.

Swanhorst lost to Lexington's Terah Maloley 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 in the quarterfinals.

Swanhorst finished the season with a 27-6 record.

Jon Buhlmann/McCook Daily Gazette Hannah Swanhorst of McCook defeated Jenna Montgomery 6-2, 6-1 in the second round Thursday to advance to the Nebraska Class B state girls tennis tournament quarterfinals in No. 2 singles. Swanhorst won her opener 6-0, 6-2 and lost in the quarterfinals 5-7, 6-2, 6-3.

In No. 1 doubles, McCook's Brianna Watkins and Jessica Jankovits defeated Norris' Ann Collins-Sarah Collins 6-2, 6-2 in the first round and Lexington's Jessica Bliven-Rachel Ostrom 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.

In the quarterfinals, Watkins and Jankovits lost to Grand Island Central Catholic's Hannah Bolton-Jessica Wojcik 6-3, 6-1.

Watkins and Jankovits finished the season with a 31-8 record.

In No. 2 doubles, McCook's Kelsey O'Dea and Amy Been defeated Scottsbluff's Gabrielle Carlin-McKenna Pieper 6-1, 6-1 in the first round and Waverly's Nichole Echtenkamp-Ashley Tabor 6-4, 6-4 in the second round.

O'Dea and Been lost to Omaha Skutt Catholic's Lauren Camenzind-Emilee Johnson 6-2, 6-0 in the quarterfinals.

O'Dea and Been posted a 36-9 record this spring.

In No. 1 singles, McCook's Audrie Krepcik lost in the first round 6-3, 6-3 to Holdrege's Bronwyn Allmond.

Krepcik finished the spring with a 9-8 record.

Swanhorst, Watkins, Been and Krepcik graduated from McCook High School earlier this month. Jankovits and O'Dea will be seniors next year.

The Bison finished the regular season with an 11-3 dual record and won team titles at the North Platte Invitational and Scottsbluff Invitational.