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Photo by Chris Wristen

Shawnee Mission North's Ceara Boldridge tracks down a drop shot at the net during a match on Thursday at the Sunflower League Championships. Boldridge finished sixth in the No. 1 singles bracket.

Photo by Chris Wristen

As her semifinal match went on, Alex Crowe focused in and ultimately pulled out the victory. The 2-hour, 43-minute match ended in a third-set tiebreaker.

Prairie Village — For most of the day Thursday, Shawnee Mission Northwest senior Alex Crowe could barely lift her right arm above her head.

That’s just a little bit important when you’re a tennis player — and a right-hander at that. A shoulder injury flared up on Crowe early in her semifinal match against Olathe East’s Kristen Stivers at the Sunflower League Championships at Harmon Park. Suddenly Crowe’s early lead disappeared and the day’s most intense match quickly developed.

A few agony-filled hours later, Crowe ended her day sitting on a bench with an ice bag on her shoulder and a smile on her face.

Crowe gutted out a 6-7 (7-1), 6-4, 14-12 victory over Stivers in the semifinals and ultimately finished second at No. 2 singles. Her performance also helped the Cougars tie Olathe East for second as a team. Shawnee Mission East won the league title and swept the singles and doubles individual championships.

“Wow,” Crowe said upon learning that her semifinal victory had secured her team a share of second place. “It does make it all worth it, not just for myself. I’m here for my team as well.”

SM East’s Mimi Fotopoulos won the No. 1 singles championship after Crowe had to retire midway through the match because of her injured shoulder. Fotopoulos already was firmly in control of the match, having taken the first set 6-0 and leading the second by a 3-0 margin.

“I know she (Fotopoulos) is a good player so I knew it was probably not going to be that good of a match, but I didn’t want to default,” Crowe said. “I was like ‘give myself a chance; just see what happens.’ But it was obvious she was just going to hit winners down the line after my serve, so I was like ‘all right, that’s it for me.’”

For Crowe, however, just getting the opportunity to play in the finals was an achievement in itself. After all, she’d endured so much during the match against Stivers.

Crowe led 4-1 in the first set before Stivers began to rally. Then the shoulder injury flared up.

“I went for a shot over there down the line for a forehand and I felt it pop,” she said.

Crowe’s lead soon melted away. She eventually lost the first set in a tiebreaker as tears welled in her eyes.

She could no longer serve with any authority. Every stroke filled her with pain.

“I tried to get her to pull out of that, but she wouldn’t,” SMNW coach Ken Clow said.

Crowe battled on. She trailed midway through the second set before finishing strong and forcing the third set tiebreaker. Even that wasn’t easy. The third set format was first-to-10 and win by 2. After multiple lead changes, Crowe squeaked out a 14-12 victory.

Crowe’s performance ultimately helped the Cougars tie for second place in the team standings with Olathe East. If she’d taken an injury default or lost the match to Stivers, SMNW would’ve finished third.

Crowe said the team success made the pain worth it.

“It means a lot to me,” she said. “My coach told me sticking out through that match there helped us win second. I’m just here not for myself but also for the team, so it means a lot, especially when you’re a senior.”

Crowe wasn’t the only Cougar to have a solid day, though. Mary Slattery earned a third-place finish at No. 2 singles while dominating two of her three matches. In addition, the No. 1 doubles team of Amanda Boring and Cassie Slocum finished third and the No. 2 doubles team of Bailey Hand and Amy Miller took fifth.

The all-around solid showing by the Cougars was the latest step in what is shaping up to be an impressive finish to the season. A week earlier they placed second at the Shawnee Mission District Tournament — also behind SM East.

SM Northwest next competes at 8 a.m. Thursday at the Class 6A regional tournament at Lawrence High.

NORTH TAKES NINTH

Shawnee Mission North’s singles players provided the Indians’ highlights for the day. Ceara Boldridge battled to a sixth-place finish at No. 1 singles. She won her first-round match before falling to Crowe in the second round and moving to the consolation bracket. Meanwhile, SM North’s Lindsey Beger took sixth at No. 2 singles.

North will compete at 8 a.m. Thursday in the Class 6A regional tournament at Blue Valley West.