Photo: Nicole Raiss
The Prescott Badgers are one game away from ending their year with a championship and a very impressive perfect season.
Last night though, they had to get past a very tough Sunrise Mountain Mustangs team who had lost only once this season. Ironically, it is Sunrise Mountain that handed Ironwood their only loss of the season on October 6, in a 5-4 decision. Ironwood had little trouble last night knocking off #2 Campo Verde 5-1.
For the first time in the playoffs, the Badgers had to play all nine matches to determine the winner. Prescott won four of the six in singles play, forcing the three doubles matches to take place. Ahead 4-2 after singles, the Badgers needed just one win, but got two when Nicole Raiss and Riley Crockett won a tough battle in three games, along with Megan Townsend and Lindsay Carter taking theirs in two.
Tonight’s championship match will be the first one on the road for the Badgers, after playing the first three rounds at home.
Singles Results
#1 Megan Townsend won 2-0 over Karah Abbott 21-16, 21-16
#2 Nicole Raiss won 2-0 over Ashley Robertson 21-16, 21-13
#3 Riley Crockett won 2-0 over Rylan Rhodes 21-9, 23-21
#4 Lauren Farley lost 2-0 to Hattie Hearnen 21-9, 23-21
#5 Calli Naylor lost 2-0 to Kylie Milner 21-13, 21-15
#6 Lindsay Carter won 2-0 over Camille Martin 21-9, 21-10
Doubles Results
#1 Raiss/Crockett won 2-1 over Hearnen/Milner 21-12, 11-21, 21-18
#2 Naylor/Farley lost 2-0 to Robertson/Abbott 21-17, 21-14
#3 Townsend/Carter won 2-0 over Rhodes/Martin 21-11, 21-11
SEMIFINAL SCORES
#1 PRESCOTT 6, #4 Sunrise Mountain 3
#3 Ironwood 5, #2 Campo Verde 1
CHAMPIONSHIP at Cortez High School, Phoenix, 6 pm
#1 PRESCOTT (17-0) vs. #3 Ironwood (16-1)
