
Seven Wausau girls make it to state tennis tournament
Alex Stewart
WAOW
Just a few months ago uncertainty surrounded the high school
sports landscape.
“The whole summer we talked about is it on, is it off, the
schedule itself, would we have to push girls’ tennis to the spring,” said Steve
Wenninger the Wausau West Girls Tennis Head Coach.
But then the announcement, Fall sports were a go.
“When we were first notified it was like, 'whoa, we're still
having the season? This is going to get canceled in a week.' but then it
didn't,” said Becky Larrain a junior on the Newman Catholic tennis team.
And having a season meant that there would also be a state
tournament.
“It's really exciting to know that we're having state especially
with COVID going on,” said Natasha Bailey, a senior on the Wausau West girls’
tennis team. “I wasn't sure if it would be possible or not to have, but it is!”
Larrain and Bailey are just two of the seven girls from
Wausau competing in the state tournament this week.
Bailey will be joined by three other teammates from Wausau
West, while two others from the Newman squad will accompany Larrain.
The three girls making the trip with Bailey from West are
Alexis Kloth, Katie Meyer and Anika Eder.
Bailey finds herself as the only senior of the quartet, but
that provides an advantage for the other three.
Bailey has made the trip to state three other times and is
now using her experience to help prepare the others.
“It's super fun going with the other girls, Katie, Anika and
Alexis especially when they haven't been before,” said Bailey. “It's always
super exciting and I think I can teach them to not be so nervous, because just
making it to state is a great accomplishment for anyone.”
While West is led by a senior's experience, Newman's trio of
Becky Larrain and sisters Grace and Ava Sukanen, will approach state by
continuing to rally around a team motto they've had since the season started.
“Happy and healthy,” said Larrain. “Just trying our best no
matter what happens. In the end we're lucky to have this season this year.”
A season that will crown it's champions starting this
Thursday at the Lake Geneva Tennis Club.
See full story HERE.