Eskymos Cruise To Great Northern Conference Title

KINGSFORD---The Escanaba Eskymos won three Great Northern Conference tennis championship and took home the GNC team trophy Wednesday at the Kingsford High School. Escanaba had 24 points, with Munising taking second.

Gladstone finished in seventh place with three points.

Escanaba won the championship at #3 singles when Taylor Gauthier defeated Gladstone's Kacie Tryan in the final, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Tryan was the only Braves player to make it to the finals.

Escanaba's Emily LaFave and Kayla Van Portfliet cruised to a straight sets win for the championship at #1 doubles over Menominee's Mikayla Kewley and Paiton Plutchak.

And at #3 doubles, Escanaba's Katie Ross and Karlie Mayville defeated Munising's Abi Brown and Taylor Kahlstorf in three sets, taking the final two sets, 6-1, 6-2.

Escanaba finished as GNC runners-up at #1 singles, and at #2 and #4 doubles.

Munising won championships at #2 singles, and at #2 and #4 doubles. The U.P. Finals are scheduled for next Thursday in Negaunee. The GNC results are posted below.

GNC Championship Team Standings
1. Escanaba 24
2. Munising 20
3. Menominee 11
4. Marquette 9
5. Kingsford 8
6. West Iron County 5
7. Gladstone 3

Singles Finals
1. Katie Hicks (Kng) def. Anna Burch (Esky) 6-3, 6-7, 6-2

2. Marissa Ackerman (Mun) def. Tori Walters (Kng) 6-4, 6-1

3. Tyler Gauthier (Esky) def. Kacie Tryan (Glad) 1-6, 6-3, 6-4

4. Morgan Roman (Meno) def. Kelsea Ackerman (Mun) 6-0, 6-2

Doubles Finals

1. Emily LaFave/Kayla VanPortfliet (Esky) def. Mikayla Kewley/Paiton Plutchak (Meno) 6-2, 6-1

2. Bailey Downs/Marissa Immel (Mun) def. Darby Beckon/Rebecca Clark (Esky) 6-0, 7-5

3. Karlie Mayville/Katie Ross (Esky) def. Abi Brown/Taylor Kahlstorf (Mun) 4-6, 6-1, 6-2

4. Morgan Flynn/Sidney McInnis (Mun) def. Julia Beauchamp/Josie Goddard (Esky) 5-7, 6-4, 6-4