Tigers compete at WPIAL Singles; Hayward reaches semifinals
by: Dom Gliozzi
The first day of the WPIAL Class 3A Girls’ Tennis Singles Championships took place on the NASH courts Wednesday, and the two Tigers contestants acquitted themselves very well. Freshman Winni Hayward, the Section 2 champion and #4 seed in the WPIAL tourney opened play against Mt. Lebanon’s Katya Rowley, the #13 seed. In a re-match from the team competition two weeks ago, the two freshman battled evenly for a while until Hayward’s power game took over for a 10-5 decision. Sophomore Sammy Leeman, the Section 2 runner-up and #7 overall seed opened against Elizabeth Butera of Shady Side Academy. Leeman used her strong skill set to cruise to a 10-1 win over the Shady Side senior.
Next up for Hayward was Bethel Park’s #2 singles player and the fifth seed, McKenzie Smock. Playing toe to toe, both ladies exchanged exceptional shots, and in a war of attrition Hayward again battled her way through for a 10-6 victory over the Bethel Park senior. The second round wasn’t as kind to Leeman. Facing the #2 seed, senior Cami Fisher from Bethel Park, Leeman was defeated by a 10-0 margin.
Hayward’s second round win earned her an in-season re-match with three-time defending WPIAL champion, Meriwether McCargo in one of the semi-final contests. Successfully using every shot in her arsenal, Hayward was only down 3-4 before McCargo pulled away with a break and a hold to take the set at 6-3. The Shady Side senior wrapped up the match with a 6-1 second set win.
The finals and third-place consolation match will take place at 1 PM at Bethel Park High School on Thursday. McCargo and Fisher will battle for the championship in a re-match of last year’s WPIAL final. The third- place contest between #4 Winni Hayward and Fox Chapel’s Clara Drahnak (the #3 seed) will be a re-match of their team competition contest from earlier in the season. More urgently, this contest will determine the third and final PIAA qualifier from the WPIAL for the 2026 season.
