Kayla Kellogg advances to State Girls Tennis Singles Championship

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

DECORAH — Charles City senior Kayla Kellogg became the first Comet singles tennis player to advance to the State Tennis Championships in 25 years.

At the Class 1A Region 4 Singles Tournament held Wednesday at Luther College, Kellogg won her first three matches including a 6-1, 6-1 win over Alexis Gielau of Waverly-Shell Rock in the first round followed by another straight-set win (6-2, 6-3) over Kaley Meyer of Clear Lake in the second round.

In the semifinal against Kendra Bigler of Decorah, Kellogg lost the first set 6-4 before rebounding in the second set (6-1). Then in a dramatic third set, Kellogg pulled off a 7-5 win to seal the match win and the state berth.

“After the first set, I had a meeting with my coach (Brian Parrott) who calmed me down a bit,” Kellogg said of her match against Bigler. “My nerves were getting the best of me.

“In the third set, I just controlled my shots a little better than her and got lucky.”

Against No. 1 seed Victoria Schwarting of Osage in the final, Kellogg lost 6-3, 6-1.

Kellogg moved up to No. 1 singles her senior season, a jump from playing No. 2 and No. 3 two years ago during the previous tennis season.

“I can’t say I expected to make it to state my final season, but I don’t like to count myself out,” said Kellogg, who will play June 2 at the State Singles Championships in Waterloo. “I just play it one point at a time.”

Kellogg is the first Comet singles player to advance to state since Erin Miller did so in the mid-1990s.

Seven years ago, Charles City doubles team Megan Miller and Hannah Carr advanced to state.

Also representing Charles City in the bracket was Heather Viers, who was seeded No. 12 among the field of 15 and defeated No. 5 seed Emily Roberts of Clear Lake 6-0, 6-1 in the first round.

Viers was stopped by Kristi Kjome-Johnson 6-1, 6-1 in the second round.

In the Class 1A Region 4 Doubles Tournament, Ally Faulkner and Nia Litterer of Charles City — seeded No. 11 — defeated No. 5 seed Kaitlyn Olson and Kendell Olson of Osage 1-6, 6-0, 6-2 in the first round before being stopped by Decorah’s Mara Holland and Annalise Skrade 6-0, 6-0 in the second round — Holland and Skrade would later win the bracket.

Charles City’s doubles team of Morgan Haus and Katie Pritchard lost in straight sets to Wahlert’s Lindsay Cummer and Lilah Takes in the first round.