Platte County reasserted its doubles dominance in the Class 2 District 4 girls tennis tournament held on Oct. 10 at Platte County High School.
The tandem of Ellie Kaser and Macie Keith won the program’s third district doubles title in four years, earning a spot in the state tournament later this month in Springfield.
After benefiting from a first-round bye as the top seed, Kaser and Keith worked quickly to extinguish No. 9-seeded Reese Williams and Kelsi Carter in their quarterfinal matchup 6-0, 6-0.
Then came the Pirates’ biggest matchup of the day with a spot in the state tournament on the line against No. 4-seeded Avery Smith and Annelise Sharp of St. Pius X. After taking the first set 6-1, Kaser and Keith battled to take the second set in a tiebreaker 6-6(5) as they secured a spot in the district finals and a trip to Springfield.
“So nervous,” Kaser said about the district semifinal match. “I am beyond proud of myself and Macie. It’s just everything I’ve ever wanted and I feel so happy.”
Ellie Kaser and Macie Keith celebrate a nerve-racking district semifinal victory on Oct. 10, securing a spot in the state tournament.
The district semifinal had a familiar feeling to last year’s district challenge when Kaser played alongside Lily Fish. Just like last year, the Pirates overcame opposition from St. Pius X, overcoming momentum swings that could have forced a third-set tiebreaker.
“They’ve played well all year, but they played well building up to this,” head coach Scott Blakley said. “They really just took care of business today. There were some nerves in the semifinal match against St. Pius, as there usually is, but they got it done when they needed to.”
Platte County junior Ellie Kaser in the district championship on Oct. 10.
The Pirates weren’t pleased with just qualifying for state; they wanted a district championship medal. Facing the No. 3-seeded Aracell Cruz and Eva Henges of Winnetonka, Kaser and Keith left no doubt, taking the first set 6-3 and the second set 6-0 as the Pirates tandem both clinched their first individual district title.
Platte County sophomore Macie Keith in her district semifinal doubles match on Oct. 10.
“We started as the No. 1 seed and ended as the No. 1 champion,” Keith said. “I am just excited for the experience and to be at state.”
After Lillian Goodale and Macy Doll won their opening match of the tournament 6-2, 6-1, they fell in the quarterfinals to Winnetonka’s Cruz and Henges. Kaser and Keith got vengeance for the Pirates to defeat the doubles pairing that ended their teammates’ district hopes.
In singles, Jayne Muir made a quarterfinal run after defeating Winnetonka’s Aubrey Austin 6-0, 6-4, but did not have enough to challenge Kierra Dunn, the eventual singles champion from St. Pius X. Clare Hayter was the Pirates’ other singles competitor, losing in her first match 6-3, 6-4 against Ariana Easton of William Chrisman.
The Class 2 District 4 doubles champion partnership only started at the beginning of the season. Kaser — who made it to the state tournament last year as a district runner-up with Fish — welcomed Keith into Platte County’s top doubles team this year after Fish’s graduation. With Keith moving up three spots from last year in singles, Blakley had confidence that the new doubles pairing would qualify for state after seeing their first match against Liberty North on Sept. 2.
“We clicked from the start,” Kaser said of this year’s partnership with Keith. “I’m so proud of us, and so proud of her, as a sophomore, she did absolutely great.”
Kaser and Keith will make their way to Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield on Oct. 23-24 as they chase Platte County’s first state championship in tennis.
“A lot of that comes down to the draw,” Blakley said. “Depending on which district runner-up they will match up with in the first round.”