Marian wins D-2 tennis title
The Division 2 girls tennis state championship trophy will remain in the neighborhood.
Birmingham Marian captured this year’s state crown June 1 at the Genesys Athletic Club in Grand Blanc. The Mustangs succeeded Birmingham Seaholm, the school less than two miles to the east which brought home the 2012 state title.
Marian had a pair of flight champions and two flight finalists to finish the 21-team tournament with 28 points. Seaholm placed second with 23 points, closely followed by Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern (21) and Bloomfield Hills Andover (19).
The state title was Marian’s second in program history, the first of which came in 2010 under head coach Dan Bittner. Lincoln Wirgau, who took over for Bittner in 2011, called this year’s championship a total team effort.
“The girls played some of their best tennis at the state tournament and I was proud of the way they played,” said Wirgau. “It was a total team effort with each flight scoring points for the team.
“I rate the team’s performance as the best they played all year. It was the best teams in Division 2 and we worked all year to play our best at this tournament.
“The girls goal was to win a team state title and that goal was accomplished,” he said. “There was no one person who stood out. Each and every girl relied on each other to win this state title.”
The Mustangs had one flight champion in singles and doubles.
Freshman Breann Lunghamer captured the No. 3 flight singles crown with a straight-set victory over Seaholm’s Claire Markley, 6-3, 6-2.
At No. 2 doubles, senior Sally Thoresen and junior Tatyanna Dadaboo delivered another flight title with a win over a Seaholm squad. Thoresen and Dadabbo, both non-starting doubles players last season, defeated the Maple tandem of Rachel Wilson and Laine Boitos in straight sets, 6-1, 7-6 (6).
Junior singles players Lauren Dietz (No. 2) and Catherine Yaldoo (No. 4) registered valuable points as flight finalists. Dietz lost to Emily Straub of Okemos in straight sets. Yaldoo, a newcomer, lost to Lahser’s Meryl Reams in straight sets, 2-6, 1-6.
“The key for us was day one,” said Wirgau. “The goal was to win 15 matches on day one and the girls did just that. We were focused and ready to come out and compete.
“A big turning point on day two was Lauren Dietz coming back from a set down in the semifinals and turning the momentum back on our side. Shortly after her three-set comeback win, Catherine Yaldoo won her semifinal match.
“Tatyanna Dadabbo and Sally Thoresen followed by winning the state title at two doubles, and Breann Lunghamer came back from a set down to win her semifinal match,” he said.
Marian, third at last year’s state tournament, began this spring with seven new players and a completely revamped lineup.
Tough all season
The Mustangs were competitive all season, taking over as the top-ranked team in Division 2 halfway through the year with a 5-3 victory over Seaholm. Marian and Seaholm tied for the regional title as each won four flights.
“At regionals when we split 4-4 with Seaholm we had two weeks to prepare for the state tournament,” said Wirgau. “My six seniors showed their leadership and determination during those two weeks gearing up for one final title run.
“We as a team were focused on playing well and giving our best effort,” he said. “We focused on the parts of the game that we could control and fortunately the pieces fell into place.”