Bison tennis girls win state team title!

McCook High's tennis team after winning the home invite last week. They took home an even larger prize on Friday with their Class B team title, a half-point ahead of perennial state power Omaha Duchesne.

LINCOLN, Neb. – Moving five players into Class B state championship matches paid off for McCook's entire tennis team on Friday.

Although the Bison only went 1-2 in that final round, they totaled 42 tournament points overall to edge Omaha Duchesne Academy's 41.5 for the Class B team title.

Class B No. 2 singles champion Kassidy Michaelis (43-0 record) led this incredible lineup of six 100-match career winners.

Michaelis made up for last year's tough three-set finals loss. After sweeping Holdrege's Katelyn Kfeller 6-0/6-0 in the semifinals, Michaelis met another familiar region foe for the title with Lexington junior Brylee Lauby.

There were was little drama this year as Kassidy swept Lauby 6-2, 6-1.

Seniors Kacee Samway and Lauren Koetter should feel no shame about finishing 42-1.

Their 6-1, 6-3 No. 1 doubles semifinal sweep of Duchesne's Meghan Main and Sophia Schack likely secured this Class B team championship for McCook.

Omaha Skutt's Ella Healy and Johnna Lowe (27-0) did win the finals showdown of unbeaten duos over Koetter/Samway 6-0, 6-1.

McCook's final phenomenal state finals appearance came from senior Katie Kendal and junior Syd Thompson at No. 2 doubles.

They rallied again to knock out Kearney Catholic No. 2-seed Sarah Oldfather and Annie Trettel 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 in Friday morning's semifinals. Oldfather-Trettel's only two losses all season were to the new Bison duo.

Facing York's surprise No. 5-seed finalists — who knocked out No. 1 Elkhart — Kendal/Thompson pushed them a tight first set but fell short in a 7-6 (7-4) tiebreaker.

York juniors Tenly Hansen and Holly Rockenbach then took the second set, 6-0.

However, Kjenal and Thompson still finished 35-4 while hosing that ultimate state team trophy.

Junior No. 1 singles player Cassiddy Beeby also played a huge role on this historic Bison girls' team, going 28-14 and winning another match at state on Thursday.

Coach Matt Wiemers said the clinching match was Grand Island Central Catholic winning a consolation final over Duchesne, which went down to another tie-breaker.

More about Wiemers' Class B state champs will be featured in Monday's Gazette.