Notre Dame, Iota tennis teams fare well at regionals

LAKE CHARLES – Notre Dame and Iota’s tennis teams combined to qualify 12 players for this week’s Division III state tournament after a strong showing last week in regional competition.
The Pios will be sending two singles players and two doubles teams to the state tournament while the Lady Pios qualified one singles player and one doubles team for the event that begins on April 30 at Heard Stadium on the campus of University of Louisiana-Monroe.
Jordan Daigle and Blade Leger each qualified in singles action for the Pios.
Daigle, the No. 5 seed, defeated Jayce Gials of North Vermilion (6-0, 6-0) to reach the quarterfinal round where he was defeated by fourth-seed Michael Buisson of St. Louis (6-1, 6-3).
Leger also reached the quarterfinals by topping Traveon Moore of Abbeville (6-0, 6-0). He then fell to No. 2-seed Stone Sikich of St. Louis (6-0, 6-0).
In doubles action, Notre Dame’s No. 2-seeded team of Kyrick Pannell and Connor Benoit received a first-round bye and then defeated Nick Seilhan and Jeremy Reed of Eunice (6-0, 6-1) and the Catholic High duo of Viator and Dugas (6-0, 6-2) to reach the semifinals. They fell just short of the finals with a 6-2, 7-5 loss to eventual champions Brian Gabb and Grant Tassin of St. Louis.
Ben Zaunbrecher and Hans Prevost defeated Daniel Landry and Darius Landry of Abbeville (6-0, 6-1) to reach the quarterfinals where they lost to Taylor Gaspard and Bryce Pavich of Eunice (6-1, 6-1).
In other action, Notre Dame’s Bryant Venable and Ben Thomas defeated Jonah Feehry and Alex Nguyen of Abbeville (6-3, 6-4) before being eliminated by Gabb and Tassin of St. Louis (6-0, 6-0).
The Lady Pios had Megan Lavergne qualify for the state tournament in singles action, while the doubles team of Gabbie Romero and Julia Schmid also advanced.
Lavergne, a newcomer, defeated Lea Daigle of Jennings (6-4, 6-2) before losing to eventual singles champion Heather Mixon of Catholic High (6-0, 6-0). Cassidy Cox dropped a first-round match to Gabrielle Juneau of Jennings, 6-0, 6-1.
In doubles play, the Lady Pios suffered a big loss before the tournament began when three-time regional doubles champion and defending state doubles champion Laura Schmid was scratched due to illness. She was replaced by her younger sister, Julia, who teamed with Romeo. That duo reached the regional final with wins over Emma Freeland and Katie Stagg of Iota, Brooke Falgoust and Livia Kjellsten of St. Louis and Stansbury and Stansbury of St. Louis.
In the finals, they fell to top-seed Grace Solari and Maddie McClain of St. Louis, 6-1, 6-3.
In other doubles action, Notre Dame’s Madeline and Olivia Barbin easily handled Brittany Trahan and Grace Simpson of Jennings (6-0, 6-2) before running into Solari and McClain in the second round where they fell to the eventual champions.
Lizzie Robichaux and Hunter Guidry lost their first-round match to Emily Navarre and Natalie Duos of Iota, 6-4, 2-6, 6-1.
Navarre and Duos lost in the quarterfinal round to Alayna Hebert and Carlee Myers of Eunice.
Iota’s Brittany Johnson, a ranked junior player and perennial contender in singles competition, drew a first-round bye before defeating St. Louis’ Samantha Perez in the quarterfinal round (6-0, 6-2). Johnson, the fourth-seed, fell in the semifinals to eventual singles champion Heather Mixon of Catholic High (6-3, 6-1).
Navarre and Duos qualified for the state tournament in doubles while Johnson advanced in singles competition.
In boys’ doubles, Iota’s Jeff Murrell and Morgan Jabusch lost their first-round match to Jeremy Reed and Nick Seilhana of Eunice (6-0, 7-5) while Sam Labarge and Luke Reed dropped a three-setter to Swapnli Patel and Jonathan George of Abbeville (1-6, 6-4, 7-6).