Young Tiger Duo Not To Be Overlooked
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Look at the matchups for Friday's girls tennis state finals at Indianapolis North Central High School and the numbers might be startling.
Those numbers - 24-3, 29-1, 29-3, 24-2, 31-1, 22-1 and 11-7 - are the records of the seven doubles teams that will battle for the right to play in the state championship match set for 2 p.m. Saturday.
What might startle local tennis fans is that the last record listed belongs to Warsaw's Kara Kesler and Liza Weidenbenner. Kesler, a sophomore, and Weidenbenner, a freshman, will have the task of trying to tame seniors Danielle Moore and Demetra Strath of Merrillville. Moore and Strath boast the 31-1 record.
Wednesday afternoon Warsaw coach Jill Basden was asked how she reacted when she found out her team's first-round opponent.
"At first it was like, 'Look at us and look at them,' said Basden, "but these girls love a challenge. They won't back down. We have the relaxation factor. They (opponent) might come in too relaxed."
Rather than focus on the records, Basden chose to keep things positive and relished the fact her young team had the opportunity to be playing in the state finals. No other doubles team in the state finals is made up of two underclassmen.
"We're just so thrilled to still be playing right now," said Basden. "If you would have told me at the beginning of the season I'd still be traveling with my No. 1 doubles team at this point in the season, I would have said no. We've matched them up with guys, girls and coaches from all over Warsaw. We've given them every opportunity possible. And this is just this year. We have them back for two more years."
On this sweltering Wednesday afternoon, the Tiger tandem was working with teammates Abbie Simmons and Heather VanPuffelen, Warsaw's No. 1 and 2 singles players.
It seemed to be a laid-back atmosphere as the temperature rose near the 100-degree mark, but the confidence could be read like a book in Kesler's eyes.
"We can't be scared," said the Tiger sophomore, who appeared to be the spokesman of the team, as Weidenbenner just relaxed and mumbled half sentences. "We're all at the same place now. The pressure is on them. All we have to do is play up to our potential. They're beatable; they are 31-1."
Warsaw, who will surely be dubbed the underdogs, ended the regular season with a 7-7 record and have gone 4-0 since then in the state tournament.
Even if things don't go according to plan for Kesler and Weidenbenner, who wear the same shoes and who claim to play together because they look alike, Saturday will be a huge learning experience.
"It'll be a great experience," said Kesler, "and it's a cool place to play. It'll be disappointing not to get there next year but it wasn't easy to get here."
Kesler, who is quick to point out that she is the tallest member of the tennis team, and her quiet sidekick advanced to the state finals after defeating the team from John Glenn in the regional championship at North Central Saturday.
Kesler and Weidenbenner will battle Moore and Strath at 2 p.m. Friday. The winner of that match then plays the winner of Kokomo's Ashleigh Warner and Natalie Hamilton (24-3) and Jasper's Dana Schitter and Erin Giesler (29-1). [[In-content Ad]]
Look at the matchups for Friday's girls tennis state finals at Indianapolis North Central High School and the numbers might be startling.
Those numbers - 24-3, 29-1, 29-3, 24-2, 31-1, 22-1 and 11-7 - are the records of the seven doubles teams that will battle for the right to play in the state championship match set for 2 p.m. Saturday.
What might startle local tennis fans is that the last record listed belongs to Warsaw's Kara Kesler and Liza Weidenbenner. Kesler, a sophomore, and Weidenbenner, a freshman, will have the task of trying to tame seniors Danielle Moore and Demetra Strath of Merrillville. Moore and Strath boast the 31-1 record.
Wednesday afternoon Warsaw coach Jill Basden was asked how she reacted when she found out her team's first-round opponent.
"At first it was like, 'Look at us and look at them,' said Basden, "but these girls love a challenge. They won't back down. We have the relaxation factor. They (opponent) might come in too relaxed."
Rather than focus on the records, Basden chose to keep things positive and relished the fact her young team had the opportunity to be playing in the state finals. No other doubles team in the state finals is made up of two underclassmen.
"We're just so thrilled to still be playing right now," said Basden. "If you would have told me at the beginning of the season I'd still be traveling with my No. 1 doubles team at this point in the season, I would have said no. We've matched them up with guys, girls and coaches from all over Warsaw. We've given them every opportunity possible. And this is just this year. We have them back for two more years."
On this sweltering Wednesday afternoon, the Tiger tandem was working with teammates Abbie Simmons and Heather VanPuffelen, Warsaw's No. 1 and 2 singles players.
It seemed to be a laid-back atmosphere as the temperature rose near the 100-degree mark, but the confidence could be read like a book in Kesler's eyes.
"We can't be scared," said the Tiger sophomore, who appeared to be the spokesman of the team, as Weidenbenner just relaxed and mumbled half sentences. "We're all at the same place now. The pressure is on them. All we have to do is play up to our potential. They're beatable; they are 31-1."
Warsaw, who will surely be dubbed the underdogs, ended the regular season with a 7-7 record and have gone 4-0 since then in the state tournament.
Even if things don't go according to plan for Kesler and Weidenbenner, who wear the same shoes and who claim to play together because they look alike, Saturday will be a huge learning experience.
"It'll be a great experience," said Kesler, "and it's a cool place to play. It'll be disappointing not to get there next year but it wasn't easy to get here."
Kesler, who is quick to point out that she is the tallest member of the tennis team, and her quiet sidekick advanced to the state finals after defeating the team from John Glenn in the regional championship at North Central Saturday.
Kesler and Weidenbenner will battle Moore and Strath at 2 p.m. Friday. The winner of that match then plays the winner of Kokomo's Ashleigh Warner and Natalie Hamilton (24-3) and Jasper's Dana Schitter and Erin Giesler (29-1). [[In-content Ad]]