The Shawnee Dispatch / Buenger headed back to state

Archive for Friday, October 10, 2008

Mill Valley sophomore places third at regional

Mill Valley sophomore Lindsey Buenger competes in the third-place match of the Class 5A regional tennis tournament on Thursday. Buenger won the match and advanced to the state tournament for the second year in a row.

By Chris Wristen

October 10, 2008

Gardner — Lindsey Buenger had no misconceptions about the degree of difficulty of the singles field on Thursday at the Class 5A regional tennis tournament at Gardner-Edgerton High School.

Buenger, a Mill Valley sophomore, knew there was a good chance she would run into at least one half of St. Thomas Aquinas' reigning state champion doubles team of Nicole Jara and Lujan Brouwer de Koning. The pair split up late this season to play singles and try to help their team score more points at state.

It turned out Buenger had to play both halves of the state championship duo. Buenger lost to the first, Jara, in the semifinals by the score of 6-0, 6-0, despite having numerous extensive volleys. Jara also won her finals match to become the regional champion.

Later Buenger beat Brouwer de Koning, 6-4, 6-2.

Buenger was the only Mill Valley player to qualify for state.

Buenger placed 10th at state in singles last year and said she hopes to improve this time around.

"I know last year I wanted to do a lot better, so going into state this year I’m just kind of thinking, ‘OK, I’ve learned a lot from last year, I’ve gotten better, I’ve progressed in my game,' so I’m just going to go in thinking I’m going to play my hardest and I’m just going to keep doing what I do," Buenger said.

For a full look back at regionals and a glance ahead to the state tournament, pick up the Oct. 15 edition of The Dispatch.

Talking points

Do you think Veterans Day should be a prominent holiday?

Absolutely. We wouldn’t be able to sit here and eat lunch like this if it weren’t for the veterans. We’ve got millions of people that fought and died to save this country; it should be more than a bank holiday.

— Byron Arthur

More responses