By Chris Bennett
Sports Correspondent
They lost their only match, but Burlington High School’s Lydia Crabtree and Hannah Cook enjoyed their time at the WIAA Division 1 Girls Tennis Individual Championships Oct. 17 at the University of Wisconsin’s Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison.
“They really played well,” Burlington coach Rose Dolotowski said. “They walked off the court with their heads high. It was a great experience for them. They enjoyed the experience of being at state.
“The sky didn’t fall in because they lost. They weren’t moping. They came off the court together and they were great sports.”
Crabtree and Cook lost 6-2, 6-3 to Whitefish Bay’s Jenna Marget and Ali Menard. Marget and Menard lost their second match to Milwaukee’s Divine Savior Holy Angels’ KK Doering and Lane McLaughlin 7-5, 6-2.
Doering and McLaughlin lost 6-1, 6-0 to Homestead’s Katya Mikhailenko and Anna Kreynin in the Division 1 title match at doubles.
Crabtree and Cook trailed, 4-3, in their second set and had four or five opportunities at an add-in point to tie it at 4-4, Dolatowski said.
“Every game was just about deuce (tied),” said Dolatowski.
Crabtree and Cook played Marget and Menard hard until the match’s end.
“They fought to the final point,” Dolatowski said. “You can tell when kids are suddenly playing not to lose and are scared and timid. You didn’t get that from them.”
Crabtree appeared at state last season in the individual and team tournaments. This season marked Cook’s first appearance at state. The duo did a fine job keeping their nerves in check.
“I was worried about it but they, personality-wise, are pretty low-key, and I think they handled it very well,” Dolatowski said. “They did not appear to get nervous on the court.”
Crabtree played last season with the now-graduated Sierra Koenen. Cook transferred to Burlington before the start of the season and previously played singles.
Dolatowski convinced Cook to try doubles, and paired her with Crabtree. The two played together for the first time Aug. 16 at Beaver Dam, in the Demons’ first competition of the season.
“We could tell right away they kind of meshed well, personality-wise, and the way they played tennis,” Dolatowski said. “That really worked. We needed to get Hannah more confident more confident at doubles.”
Crabtree and Cook advanced to State after winning two matches Oct. 8 at the WIAA Division 1 Sectional Meet at Burlington. The top four finishers in Flight 1 and the top finisher in Flight 2 in singles and doubles advanced from the sectional. Crabtree and Cook competed in Flight 1 in doubles competition.
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