HIGHLAND PARK — Lake Forest, Highland Park and Libertyville each qualified a pair of entrants for the girls’ state tennis tournament in Buffalo Grove during the Highland Park Sectional on Saturday.
Little else about the rain-delayed event was certain.
After darkness pushed the completion of two of Friday’s quarterfinal matches into Saturday, rain sent those contests and three of the four semifinals indoors before Highland Park’s Danny Cunniff Park courts could be dried for the remaining events starting at 2:30 p.m.
“I’ve never experienced anything like this where we haven’t finished,” said Steve Rudman, Highland Park’s longtime coach and the tournament director. “The weather forecast all week didn’t call for rain and you can’t schedule indoor courts [at the last minute] Saturday.”
The sectional team champion is still uncertain. Carmel finished with 22 points but Lake Forest and Highland Park can still earn team points in Monday’s final two matches to pass the Corsairs.
Heading to the state meet in singles are sectional champion Brienne Minor of Carmel, third-place finisher Colleen Morris of Lake Forest and Libertyville’s Halle Roach, who placed fourth.
In doubles, finalists Brynn Carlson and Zoe Park of Lake Forest along with Giants Lizzie Raab and Casey Frommer are going to state. They will play their third set for the title Monday.
The Highland Park tandem of Rachel Retsky and Jessica Rosenberg qualified for the state finals as did Libertyville’s duo of Callie Klein and Danielle Blaser. They will also finish their third-place contest Monday.
