Raymundo Frasquillo File Photo/Gila Herald: Kaylee Kempton fallows the ball into her racquet before returning it across the net. The Duncan junior teamed up with sister Emily to reach the state quarterfinals.
By Raymundo Frasquillo
GLENDALE – Four of the five Section I doubles entrants and all three Section I singles each bowed out on the first day of the individual tourneys on April 29. All matches were held at the Glendale Paseo Racquet Center, 6268 W. Thunderbird Rd.
Kempton – Kempton
The lone section standard-bearer on day two was the Duncan Kempton sisters duo, junior Kaylee and freshman Emily. They advanced with two tie-breakers, 10-8 (4-6, 6-1) over Phoenix Veritas Prep seniors Isabella Robinson and Parker Cashdan in Round One and 12-10 (6-2, 4-6) over Gilbert Classical junior Tara Patel and senior Kashi Parikh in Round Two. The wins allowed the Greenlee County girls to reach the quarterfinals against No. 4 Pusch Ridge Christian freshman Estelle Fetsis and junior Madi Van Holsbeke on April 30. The Pusch Ridge duo prevailed (6-1, 6-2) but succumbed in the semifinals (6-1, 7-6) to top seed Phoenix Country Day School senior Daniela Castro-Martinez and junior Julia Black.
Doubles Championship
The No. 1 Martinez – Black duo meets No. 2 Chandler Prep junior Gaby Chu – sophomore Sonali Bhalia for the title Monday, May 2 at 5 p.m.
Martinez – Black also defeated Mesa Eastmark sophomore Madison Baker – freshman Keona Douglas (6-2, 6-1) in the first round, Tanque Verde sophomore Toni DeFalco – senior Lucy Scholes (6-0, 6-1) in the second round, and Arizona College Prep seniors Emily Do – Hope Kan (6-2, 6-1) in the quarterfinals.
Chu – Bahlia downed Glendale Prep sophomore Marin Sanborn – freshman Rachel Blakemore (6-0 twice) in the first round, Phoenix Country Day sophomore Ayelet Jaffee – senior Elsa Jackson (6-0, 6-1) in the second round, Flagstaff Basis juniors Jenna Crone and Abby Buckley (6-0 twice) in the quarterfinals, and No. 3 Gilbert Christian juniors Isabella Branton – Margaret Rowan (6-0, 6-1) in the semifinals.
Doubles Round One
Safford junior Emma David and senior Savannah Barnes fell 3-6 and 4-6 to Gilbert Classical junior Tara Patel and senior Kashi Parikh, Thatcher juniors Lindsey McMaster and Camille Bryce fell 2-6 and 1-6 to No. 4 Pusch Ridge Christian Fetsis – Van Holsbeke, Morenci junior Cambri McCauley and sophomore Anita Gonzalez fell 4-6 and 5-7 to Tombstone sophomores, Jamora Haynes and Makinzee Meinhardt.
Willcox seniors Jodi Denny and Kamrielle Wyatt fell 4-6 and 0-6 to Phoenix Basis sophomores Natania Arum and Sinchana Keshav, and No. 7 Thatcher juniors Maren Hatch and Amanda Sampson fell 2-6 and 4-6 to Flagstaff Basis Crone – Buckley.
Singles Championship
Top seed Scottsdale Prep sophomore Nandini Patel meets No. 2 Phoenix Country Day School junior Milan Sewell for the title on May 2 at 5 p.m.
Patel advanced via wins over Scottsdale Christian junior Kate White () in the first round, Safford senior Maddison Peterson (6-0 twice) in the second round, No. 8 Flagstaff Basis senior Aeliana Ricci (6-1 twice) in the quarterfinals, No. 4 Tucson’s The Gregory School senior Hannah Colonje (6-1, 6-2) in the semifinals.
Sewell reached the title match with wins over Saint David junior Sydney Haynie (6-0 twice) in the first round, over Tanque Verde sophomore Kailey Reinhardt (6-0, 6-1) in the second round, over Scottsdale Prep sophomore Samantha Ferro (6-2, 6-0) in the quarterfinals, and over Phoenix Northwest Christian sophomore Gracie Madeya (6-2, 6-1) in the semifinals.
Singles Round Two
Safford senior Maddison Peterson fell 0-6 twice to Patel and Thatcher senior Charity Neilson fell 1-6 and 0-6 to Flagstaff Basis’ Ricci.
Peterson and Neilson both advanced by default, of Tucson Sabino senior Haeleigh Chipman, and of Chandler Lincoln Prep junior Angelica Gigli, respectively.
Singles Round One
Morenci senior Viviana Mendez-Draper fell 3-6 and 2-6 to No. 5 Saint David sophomore Safina Blachly,
Team Quarterfinals
Quarterfinal pairings are No. 8 Chandler Prep (11-3, 10.0250) at No. 1 Pusch Ridge (14-0, 20.2186), No. 5 Northwest Christian (11-1, 11.6630) at No. 4 Scottsdale Prep (10-2, 12.4096), No. 11 Gilbert Christian (8-4, 6.2326) at No. 3 Arizona College Prep (13-1, 17.3934), and No. 7 Thatcher (11-3, 10.8410) at No. 2 Phoenix Country Day (11-0, 19.085) on Tuesday, May 3.
The semifinals (May 6) and final (May 7) are at the Glendale Paseo Racquet Center.
