Homewood-Flossmoor’s Sophia Osabuohien, Timara Maxwell continue to dominate

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Homewood-Flossmoor’s Sophia Osabuohien has her focus set on her side of the court.

Her doubles partner Timara Maxwell has the same exact mindset.

It’s a formula that has worked well for the duo as Osabuohien and Maxwell cruised through their first three matches at the state tournament Thursday.

“We’re trying not to think about who we’re playing,” Osabuohien said. “We’re worried about our own point by point. Each match isn’t the same, and we know at this point it is all the top people playing. What do we need to do? Focus more and use more strategy.”

With an undefeated 22-0 record into the tournament, Osabuohien and Maxwell won all three of their matches in straight sets.

In the third round match of the winner’s bracket, Homewood-Flossmoor’s doubles pair defeated Barrington’s Anna Donoghue and Addie Hirsch 6-3, 7-5.

“We did well at being consistent,” Maxwell said. “We have to work on finishing out a point, but we played well. Especially in our third match, we pulled through. We feel good, feel excited, and we have high hopes for tomorrow.”

The Homewood-Flossmoor duo will play Maine South’s Kamila Czosnyka and Marti Wind Friday at Hersey in fourth round action.

“The girls executed, did what they had to do,” Baron said. “They played aggressive and were happy with their games. Timara and Sophia picked up momentum and are excited for tomorrow.”

Homewood-Flossmoor’s Kaela Mack lost her first match Thursday but regrouped to win three straight matches on the consolation bracket. In the consolation third round, Mack beat Boylan’s Ana Hatfield 6-3, 6-3, capping off three straight set wins in a row following her opening defeat.

A state-qualifying doubles player last season, Mack will face New Trier’s Taylor Tamblyn Friday in the fourth consolation round.

“Kaela is a warrior,” H-F coach Don Baron said. “She started a little slow but settled in and played well. Kaela was mixing in her shots and persevered, keeps getting better and better.”

Other singles players who lost a match but advanced on the consolation side into Friday’s fourth consolation round included Tinley Park’s Haley Wilcox, Joliet Catholic’s Nina Bertino, Lockport’s Kat Samardzija and Chicago Christian’s Lisa Chionis.

Advancing on the doubles side in the consolation bracket were Joliet Catholic’s Maddie Bauer and McCoy Hutchison, Stagg’s Leeza Bodnar and Silva Kulbokas, and Lockport’s Tomi Jo Mansell and Hana Khatib.

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