Skyview’s Sammi Hampton is on familiar ground, going for another state tennis title.
Hampton reached the Class 4A semifinals in Richland as she aims for a third consecutive state singles title.
Hampton won her opening match Friday 6-1, 6-0 over Avery Liening of Todd Beamer, and then defeated Kamiak’s Sally Park to reach the semifinals, which will be played this morning.
Prairie’s Akari Baba, a doubles state champ as a freshman, has a shot at a single title. The junior reached the 3A singles semifinals in Kennewick with a pair of wins Friday.
Baba overcame losing the first set to Lina Larson of Interlake to post a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win. Baba then defeated Audra Spargo of Shadle Park 6-1, 6-1.
In girls 4A doubles at Richland, two Greater St. Helens League teams are on opposite side of the semifinals.
District and bi-district champs Camas’ Jen Lewis and Hannah Gianan posted wins of 6-1, 6-0 and 6-1, 6-3, while Union’s Jelena Vidovic and Sydney Wallace posted a pair of 6-3, 6-0 wins Friday.
If both doubles teams win, they would be playing against each other in a third consecutive tournament final.
For the second year in a row, Columbia River’s Dominik Gorecki will play for fifth place at the 3A tournament in Kennewick.
Gorecki lost his first round match to Henry Smith of Mercer Island, the same player who beat him for fifth place last year. Gorecki then won a pair of three set matches coming from a set down in both to reach the fifth-place match today.
In 3A boys doubles, Columbia River’s Lane Cooper and Ian David will be playing for fourth place.
