Breaking News
Local sports

Jersey Shore’s Dalton competes in District 4 singles tournament

By From staff reports 4 min read

And then there were four.

Just four players remain in contention for the District 4 girls tennis singles crown after Saturday's first three rounds of competition at Williamsport High School.

Top-seeded Josie Bendle of Danville, fifth-seeded Caroline Crawford of Loyalsock, third-seeded Zoe Dohl of Muncy and second-seeded Emily Crawford of Loyalsock all advanced to Monday's semifnials at the Central PA Tennis Center with victories on Saturday morning.

Bendle defeated South Williamsport's Mylee Morrison, seeded eighth, in the third round of the singles tournament with a 6-2, 7-6 win. Bendle, who had a bye into the second round, defeatd Central Columbia's Cassandra Marte, 6-1, 6-0 in the second round.

Marte earned a 7-6, 7-6 first-round win over HUghesville's Talia Saka to advance.

Morrison beat Mifflinburg's Alice Grill, 6-3, 6-0, in the second round after she had a bye. Grill advanced with a 6-4, 6-2 win against Montgomery's Arianna Snyder.

Loyalsock's Caroline Crawford beat Wellsboro's Amanda Goncalves, the fourth seed in the tournament, 6-3, 6-3 to get to the semifinals. Crawford earned a second-round win against Selinsgrove's Alexis Hoot, 6-3, 6-2 and Goncalvez beat Montoursville's Elsa Kehrer, 6-2, 6-3.

In the first round, Hoot beat North Penn-Liberty's Marissa Bradford, 6-0, 6-0 and Kehrer beat Towanda's Nadia Alderfer, 6-2, 6-0.

In the bottom halfof the bracket, Dohl advanced to the semifinals thanks to defeating sixth-seeded Dayssi Weis of Lewisburg, 6-0, 6-3. Dohl earned a 6-2, 6-2 win in the second round over Hughesville's Caroline Hicks. Hicks beat Morgan Ertel of South Williamsport, 6-1, 6-1, in the first round. Weis earned a 6-3, 6-2 win against Central Columbia's Truc-nhu Nguyen. Nguyen advanced to the second round by beating Milton's Madison Coup, 6-1, 6-0.

Emily Crawford reached the semifinals thanks to a 6-1, 6-1 win over Danville's Alexa Preisz, the seven seed. Crawford beat Montoursville's Bella Wanner, 6-0, 6-2, in the second round. Wanner beat Jersey Shore's Molly Dalton in the first round, 6-4, 7-6.

Preisz earned a 6-2, 6-2 win over Wellsboro's Piper Anderegg in the second round. The Green Hornet advanced by defeating Bloomsburg's Suhani Vishwakarma, 6-1, 6-4.

Bendle is the defending District 4 champion and is looking to be the second consecutive repeat champion after Sarah Buck of Hughesville won back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024.

Loyalsock's Caroline and Emily Crawford are both hoping to be the Lancers' first District 4 singles champion since Pam Niditch won three straight titles from 2012-14. Dohl is looking to become Muncy's first champion this century.

DISTRICT 4 SINGLES TOURNAMENT

FIRST ROUND

Central Columbia's Cassandra Marte def. Hughesville's Talia Saka, 7-6, 7-6; Mifflinburg's Alice Grill def. Montgomery's Arianna Snyder, 6-4, 6-2; Selinsgrove's Alexis Hoot def. North Penn-Liberty's Marissa Bradford, 6-0, 6-0; Montoursville's Elsa Kehrer def. Towanda's Nadia Alderfer, 6-2, 6-0;

Hughesville's Caroline Hicks def. South Williamsport's Morgan Ertel, 6-1, 6-1; Central Columbia's Truc-Nhu Nguyen def. Milton's Madison Coup, 6-1, 6-0; Wellsboro's Piper Anderegg def. Bloomsburg's Suhani Vishwakarma, 6-1, 6-4; Montoursville's Bella Wanner def. Jersey Shore's Molly Dalton, 6-4, 7-6.

SECOND ROUND

Danville's Josie Bendle def. Central Columbia's Cassandra Martte, 6-1, 6-0; South Williamsport's Mylee Morrison def. Mifflinburg's Alice Grill, 6-3, 6-0; Loyalsock's Caroline Crawford def. Selinsgrove's Alexis Hoot, 6-3, 6-2; Wellsboro's Amanda Goncalvez def. Montoursville's Elsa Kehrer, 6-2, 6-3; Muncy's Zoe Dohl def. Hughesville's Caroline Hicks, 6-2, 6-2; Lewisburg's Dayssi Weis def. Central Columbia's Truc-nhu Nguyen, 6-3, 6-2; Danville's Alexa Preisz def. Wellsboro's Piper Anderegg, 6-2, 6-2; Loyalsock's Emily Crawford def. Montoursville's Bella Wanner, 6-0, 6-2.

THIRD ROUND

Danville's Josie Bendle def. South Williamsport's Mylee Morrison, 6-2, 7-6; Loyalsock's Caroline Crawford def. Wellsboro's Amanda Goncalvez, 6-3, 6-3; Muncy's Zoe Dohl def. Lewisburg's Dayssi Weis, 6-0, 6-3; Loyalsock's Emily Crawford def. Danville's Alexa Preisz, 6-1, 6-1.

SEMIFINALS

(Monday at Central PA Tennis Center)

Danville's Josie Bendle vs. Loyalsock's Caroline Crawford; Muncy's Zoe Dohl vs. Loyalsock's Emily Crawford.

Starting at /week.