G.I.'s Root upsets higher seeds for singles crown
OMAHA — Brigette Root reflected on her journey to a state championship, and was a bit surprised.
“These girls have probably been playing since they were 3 or 4,” the Grand Island senior said, “so you just have to try and work harder.”
Root kept knocking off higher-seeded players during the Class A girls tennis tournament and eventually won the No. 2 singles state title.
In the championship match Friday at Koch Family Tennis Center, the fifth-seeded Root defeated third-seeded Alison Slosburg of Omaha Westisde 6-2, 6-4.
Root plans to be a walk-on setter for the Nebraska volleyball team this fall. Although her father played tennis at Nebraska-Kearney, Root only began taking the sport serious a few years ago.
“My freshman year I just wanted to go out for something,” she said. “I knew coach was big into conditioning, and the mental part helps a lot with volleyball.”
Although many of Friday’s finalists had an easy road to the finals, Root’s was anything but. She won a close match against fourth-seeded MaryPat Beaufait of Omaha Marian to advance to the second day.
Then, after losing the first set 6-2 in the semifinals, Root rallied to beat top-seed Michaela Burroughs of Millard North.
“I was 1-1 against MaryPat this season, so to get to the second day was a huge accomplishment in itself,” Root said. “I was really surprised to pull both of those wins out in the quarterfinals and semifinals.”
Root was at state for the third time, with her best finish previously being a third-place showing in No. 2 doubles as a sophomore.
In the No. 1 singles division, Omaha Marian freshman Brooke Urzendowski completed a perfect season. Both of Marian’s doubles team also had unbeaten seasons, and the Crusaders easily won the team championship.
The only Lincoln players to advance to the final day of the tournament, Southeast’s No. 1 doubles team of Karlee Long and Julia Otte, finished third. In the third-place match, Southeast beat Grand Island 7-6 (8-6), 4-6, 6-4.
Southeast had beaten Grand Island twice previously this season.
“(Grand Island) had a little motivation going into a situation like that, so you just hope you’re not playing to lose instead of playing to win,” Southeast coach Tim Tidball said.
In the No. 1 doubles championship match, Marian defeated Omaha Westside.
“I think everybody would agree Marian and Westside were kind of the cream of the crop in No. 1 doubles,” Tidball said. “We were one of several teams that could have wound up in that third position, so we’ll take that.”
Reach Brent C. Wagner at 473-7435 or bwagner@journalstar.com.
“These girls have probably been playing since they were 3 or 4,” the Grand Island senior said, “so you just have to try and work harder.”
Root kept knocking off higher-seeded players during the Class A girls tennis tournament and eventually won the No. 2 singles state title.
In the championship match Friday at Koch Family Tennis Center, the fifth-seeded Root defeated third-seeded Alison Slosburg of Omaha Westisde 6-2, 6-4.
Root plans to be a walk-on setter for the Nebraska volleyball team this fall. Although her father played tennis at Nebraska-Kearney, Root only began taking the sport serious a few years ago.
“My freshman year I just wanted to go out for something,” she said. “I knew coach was big into conditioning, and the mental part helps a lot with volleyball.”
Although many of Friday’s finalists had an easy road to the finals, Root’s was anything but. She won a close match against fourth-seeded MaryPat Beaufait of Omaha Marian to advance to the second day.
Then, after losing the first set 6-2 in the semifinals, Root rallied to beat top-seed Michaela Burroughs of Millard North.
“I was 1-1 against MaryPat this season, so to get to the second day was a huge accomplishment in itself,” Root said. “I was really surprised to pull both of those wins out in the quarterfinals and semifinals.”
Root was at state for the third time, with her best finish previously being a third-place showing in No. 2 doubles as a sophomore.
In the No. 1 singles division, Omaha Marian freshman Brooke Urzendowski completed a perfect season. Both of Marian’s doubles team also had unbeaten seasons, and the Crusaders easily won the team championship.
The only Lincoln players to advance to the final day of the tournament, Southeast’s No. 1 doubles team of Karlee Long and Julia Otte, finished third. In the third-place match, Southeast beat Grand Island 7-6 (8-6), 4-6, 6-4.
Southeast had beaten Grand Island twice previously this season.
“(Grand Island) had a little motivation going into a situation like that, so you just hope you’re not playing to lose instead of playing to win,” Southeast coach Tim Tidball said.
In the No. 1 doubles championship match, Marian defeated Omaha Westside.
“I think everybody would agree Marian and Westside were kind of the cream of the crop in No. 1 doubles,” Tidball said. “We were one of several teams that could have wound up in that third position, so we’ll take that.”
Reach Brent C. Wagner at 473-7435 or bwagner@journalstar.com.
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