By David Paulsen
Correspondent
A stellar high school tennis career came to an end for Burlington’s Stephanie Londre, but not before she finished in the top 16 at state for the second year in a row.
Londre, who was the No. 8 seed at the WIAA State Individual Tennis Tournament played Oct. 13-15 in Madison, had a first-round bye.
That first-round bye may have produced some rustiness on Saturday when she took on Morgan Wilson of Verona Area. Londre had defeated Wilson handily earlier in the season, but this time Wilson played better.
Londre had a tough first set before winning 7-5. After that, she settled down and took control, finishing off the match with a 6-2 set win.
That sent Londre against Mardee Merar of Homestead, the state’s No. 9 seed. Merar defeated Londre 6-0, 6-3.
“She was tough,” noted head coach Rose Dolatowski. “Mardee was just in a zone when she played Steph.”
After being shut out in the opening set, Londre actually led 3-2 in the second set before Merar picked up her game again.
“Steph played excellent,” Dolatowski said. “It was great tennis to watch.”
Merar went on to nearly upset the state’s No. 1-seeded player, losing in three sets.
“Certainly, Stephanie can hold her head up high,” Dolatowski said.
In her four-year BHS career, Londre, at No. 1 singles, made four trips to the state tournament, was the Racine County Champion all four years, finished among the top 16 at state two years, and was named the Racine County Player of the Year three times, including this year. The only year she was not Racine County Player of the Year was last year when a doubles team won the honor.
This year, Londre finished with a 29-1 record. In her four years at BHS, Londre won 105 matches, while losing just 13.
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