The Brandywine girls tennis team is going back to the state finals.

The Bobcats clinched a berth at that tournament for the sixth time in the last eight years after totaling 19 points and placing second Monday at the Division IV regional at Leeper Park.

The top two teams and anyone else with at least 18 points qualify for the state finals. Berrien Springs won the regional title with 28 points.

On May 30th and 31st, the Division IV state finals will take place at Grand Blanc/Holly.

“This year is more special because we had to replace 11 starters from last year,” said Brandywine girls tennis coach Joe Marazita. “Only returning player (Abby Cole) played fourth doubles (last year) and we had to move her to one singles. She’s done a great job for us. Then we started filling in with some other kids and all these new players brought a lot of energy to the team.”

Brandywine got first place finishes from its No. 3 doubles team of Rachael Szilagyi and Alyssa Bolen and No. 4 doubles team of Shaylee Smith and Olivia DePriest.

Szilagyi and Bolen improved to 24-0 after beating Pearl Annan and Lilly Sheline from Berrien Springs, 6-4, 6-1, in the finals. Smith and DePriest improved to 18-1 after beat Ramsden Holets and Callie Stoub from Berrien Springs, 6-1, 6-2, in the finals.

Brandywine’s Emily Erwin finished second at No. 4 singles. Erwin, who owns a 23-2 record, fell to Jasmine Aviles from Berrien Springs, 7-6, 6-3, in the finals.

“We didn’t get the points that we were suppose to get with our seedings,” Marazita said. “But, I think a lot of that can be attributed to the fact that we just didn’t have the experience when we competed in the semifinals. I think we’ll definitely have the experience next year.”

Dowagiac got a first place performance from its No. 1 doubles team of Madison Proshwitz and Gabby Leonard. Proshwitz and Leonard improved to 13-3 after rally past the Berrien Springs duo of Breanne Rudlaff and Brenna Wineland, 4-6, 6-0, 6-4.

 

Division 4 Regional

At Leeper Park

Team scores

Berrien Springs 28, Brandywine 19, Paw Paw 15, Lake Michigan Catholic 15, Dowagiac 9, Bridgman 7, Buchanan 5, Coloma 4, Constantine 4, Eau Claire 2, Cassopolis 2.

 

Finals

Singles

1. Arien Kissinger (Berrien Springs) d. Kendall Welling (Paw Paw), 6-0, 6-1; 2. Marissa Jaggi (Berrien Springs) d. Leah Kline (Paw Paw), 6-1, 6-3; 3. Yasmin Benjelloun (Berrien Springs) d. Rebecca Barts (LMC), 6-1, 6-1; 4. Jasmine Aviles (Berrien Springs) d. Emily Erwin (Brandywine), 7-6, 6-3

 

Doubles

1. Madison Proshwitz-Gabby Leonard (Dowagiac) d. Breanne Rudlaff-Brenna Wineland (Berrien Springs), 4-6, 6-0, 6-4; 2. Becca Stemm-Jen Jasper (Bridgman) d. Kylee Edward-Nikki Rusik (Berrien Springs), 6-0, 7-6; 3. Rachael Szilagyi-Alyssa Bolen (Brandywine) d. Pearl Annan-Lilly Sheline (Berrien Springs), 6-4, 6-1; 4. Shaylee Smith-Olivia DePriest (Brandywine) d. Ramsden Holets-Callie Stoub (Berrien Springs), 6-1, 6-2