Hope Karels Takes Fourth Place at State Tennis Tournament

Lady Bulldog Hope Karels took fourth place today, Tuesday, October 3, in Flight 1 Singles at South Dakota’s 2023 Girls State Tennis Championships.The two-day tournament took place in Sioux Falls.

Karels faced off with Athena Franciliso of St. Thomas More today. Franciliso was defending her Flight 1 Singles title from last year. She defeated Karels and continued on to also win the 2023 title.  Franciliso defeated Annika Barnett of Vermillion in the Finals to take the win. Riley Gauer of RCH defeated Karels to claim third place. Elsa Johnson of Sioux Falls Christian took fifth place honors.

Amelia Pederson took third place in Flight 4 Singles when she defeated Monica Whitman of Rapid City Christian. Pederson had been defeated in the semi-finals by Say Glay of Huron..

Team Rankings:

1. Sioux Falls Christian
2. St. Thomas More
3. Rapid City Christian
4. Huron
5. Vermillion
6. Pierre
7. Aberdeen Roncalli
8. Spearfish
9. Madison
10. Milbank
11. Lennox

Submitted Photo: Karels and Pederson