Farmer qualifies for state

Pittsburg/St. Mary’s-Colgan girl’s tennis coach John Seal cannot remember when the last time either school qualified a player for the state tournament.

Now, his memory is fresh because Colgan senior Erin Farmer finished third in the Class 3-2-1A regional singles tournament at Neodesha High School Saturday.

As a team, the Panthers finished third out of the six teams represented.

“It has been a while,” Seal said. “Pittsburg had one player qualify a while ago and it has been a long time for Colgan too.

“We are honored to take Erin,” Seal said. “She has earned this and she has played some very quality players.”

Farmer’s road to the state tournament was not an easy one.

She faced senior Bre Alholm of Kansas City Christian, who placed third at the 2007 Class 3A state tournament and came in Saturday with a 14-6 record.

Farmer easily won the first game, 6-2 then had a battle in the second game, but won 7-5.

That pitted Farmer against the top-seeded Jessica Downard (16-0) from Marysville.

Downard took control early and held off Farmer 6-4, 6-2.

That put Farmer in the third-place match against Kiley Swartz of Marysville, who placed at last year’s Class 4A tournament in singles.

Farmer won the first game 6-2 and battled to a tiebreak to win the second 7-6 (2) to get her first trip to the state tournament.

“It is a pretty good accomplishment,” Seal said. “Erin’s game is at a high level and if she is on, she is on.”

Wichita Collegiate’s Elyse Bigler won the singles tournament after beating Downard in the championships.

Colgan’s other sub-state participants were the doubles team of Lindsay Collar and Ashton Born.
Collar and Born were knocked out in the first round by Kristen Dunn and Grace LeMaster of Wichita Collegiate 6-0, 6-0.

Dunn and LeMaster went on to win the tournament after defeating Stevie Pacha and Sam Weeks of Marysville 6-1. 6-7(5), 6-3.

Now, Farmer will travel to Harmon Park in Kansas City, Kan. for the Class 3-2-1A state tournament, which begins on Friday.

“Her chances are very good to finish high in the state,” Seal said. “You hate to predict but I would have to say that she is one of the top 10 in the state.”