WHITEHALL — Whitehall entered the season with an ambitious goal of returning to the state finals despite losing five starters to graduation. Friday saw the Vikings accomplish that mission.
Whitehall finished in a three-way tie for third place in Friday's Division 4 regional meet, which it hosted, and secured a bid to state.
"To back (last year) up with a season like we did and to have three freshmen on the
team, no sophomores, and just two juniors, that's pretty impressive," Whitehall coach Greg McManus said.
The state meet will take place Oct. 20-21 at the Midland Tennis Center.
The day didn't entirely play out as McManus thought it might, with unexpected struggles at the No. 3 singles and doubles flights, but the Vikings got some big-time performances from William Burger at No. 1 singles and the No. 2 doubles pair of Adam Sikkenga/Remington Whelpley, among others, to make up for it.
Sikkenga/Whelpley, who earned the No. 2 seed in the bracket, battled through a difficult quarterfinal match against Nate Bolkema/Nolan Walcott of Calvin Christian - a matchup McManus said the duo had lost just a couple days prior in a scrimmage - to come away with a 6-4, 6-7(2), 6-2 win and advance to the semifinals.
There, the Viking pair dominated their No. 3-seeded Western Michigan Christian foes, Levi Leffring/David Ritzema, 6-3, 6-0, to reach the finals. In the finals, they played well against top seed Jaben Bell/Hudson Tolsma before falling short 6-2, 7-6(2).
Whitehall's William Burger lines up a return shot during Friday's regional meet in Whitehall. Burger reached the semifinals at No. 1 singles, helping the Vikings earn a trip to state.
Burger had another clutch performance at No. 1 singles. It hasn't been the easiest year for the senior - McManus said he's battling a partially torn meniscus that kept him out of the conference tournament - but he stepped up to the challenge when NorthPointe Christian's Noah Dapprich took a second-set lead in their quarterfinal match. Burger rallied to win the set and sweep the match, 6-2, 7-6(3), bowing out to top seed Kaden Bartolameolli of North Muskegon in the semis.
"That was a huge swing in our favor, because NorthPointe Christian was a school we were competing with (for a state spot)," McManus said.
Less unexpected but no less impactful was the success of No. 1 doubles pair Ian Sampson/Evan Thomas, who earned the regional championship with three straight-set victories. They beat back second-set challenges from both Sawyer Volkers/Arend Clark of NorthPointe and Kylan Nielsen/Bobby Gaston of North Muskegon to pick up the regional title.
"That was a huge swing in our favor, because NorthPointe Christian was a school we were competing with (for a state spot)," McManus said.
Less unexpected but no less impactful was the success of No. 1 doubles pair Ian Sampson/Evan Thomas, who earned the regional championship with three straight-set victories. They beat back second-set challenges from both Sawyer Volkers/Arend Clark of NorthPointe and Kylan Nielsen/Bobby Gaston of North Muskegon to pick up the regional title.
Cameron Cook/Elijah Roberge won a quarterfinal match at No. 3 doubles, and Lukas McKee/Jonathan Roberge advanced by default in their first-round No. 4 doubles match.
Getting out of a region populated by Grand Rapids-area private school powers is an accomplishment for Whitehall, and McManus is hopeful his team isn't done yet.
"My goal is top 10," McManus said, adding the last time the Vikings accomplished this was 2018. "I strongly believe we're a top 10 team. The rankings show we're No. 9, but that doesn't mean a whole lot. If we can end up in the top 10, that'd be a big deal.
"We have some pretty strong flights. I think we'll have a few seeds in the tournament, which definitely helps...We're looking to practice hard and put our best foot forward next Monday."
