District 10 runnerup Warren Dragons, pictured, from left, are: Lily Seyler, Sarah Harvey, Ella Card, Natasha Ferry, Hannah Pearson, Madalynn Perry, Ashley Plank, Sydnie Cochran and Anna Courson. In back are: Coach Thomas Pellegrino, Iris Kiehl, Lucy Harrison, Mackenzie Lester, Kaelin Hatfield, Izzy Heacox, Grace Carr, Maddy McDunn, Winnie Wolf, Grace Carlson and Coach Mike Kiehl. Photo submitted to Times Observer

ERIE — Warren’s girls tennis team has settled for second place in District 10 2A after a 5-0 loss on Thursday at Westwood Racquet Club to champion Cathedral Prep.

“We knew coming into this match that we were up for a big challenge. Cathedral Prep has won this tournament consecutively since 2017 and beat us twice during the regular season,” said Warren coach Thomas Pellegrino. “One thing to note as well is that in 22 years of the team tournament, only Villa (now Cathedral Prep) or Mercyhurst Prep has ever won the district title. In 22 years, the only schools that have ever won are private schools that have the ability to recruit and hand out scholarships.

“The girls were focused from the get-go and just excited to be a part of this D10 final as this was the first time in history that a Warren girls team has been in the AA team final,” he added. “They all played high-level tennis, but Cathedral Prep was a bit too much for us today.”

At top singles, Iris Kiehl lost to D10 singles champion Anna Poranski 1-6, 1-6.

At second singles, Mackenzie Lester lost to D10 doubles champion Annie Prichard 1-6, 1-6.

Freshman Lucy Harrison lost to D10 doubles champion Sophia Glance 3-6, 3-6.

“Cathedral Prep practices and plays indoors all year-round,” said Pellegrino. “When we have competed against these girls outdoors during the regular season, the scores were much, much closer and even going into three sets at times. Indoors really plays to their advantage as these three girls are all big hitters and big servers, making it difficult for our singles players to get anything going. We left it all on the court and, although the scores may not show it, these were very competitive matches with long rallies and games.”

In what seemed to be the closest match of the day, Izzy Heacox and Grace Carr were defeated by Finleigh Henitzel and Margaret Prichard 5-7, 3-6.

“Our girls played a great match today and had our moments to capture the first set, but couldn’t pull out the big points,” said Pellegrino. “This was a high-quality doubles match and was some of the best tennis I have seen all year from all four of the players.

“At two doubles, our senior pair of Madalynn Perry and Sydnie Cochran were defeated by Sophia Falvo and Lily Beichart 3-6, 2-6,” Pellegrino added. “Syd and Perry have been playing some great tennis over the last few weeks and really stepped up their games today. We were in every game with the majority of them going to deuce, but Cathedral Prep just kept coming up with shot after shot at the right moments.

“Regardless of the outcome today, this was a great run to what in my opinion is one the best seasons if not the best season in 20 years,” Pellegrino added. “When I took over the program in 2020, the girls were coming off a 2-12 record in the 2019 season. These girls have worked their (butts) off and went from being the laughing stock of D10 to the D10 runner-up that now every Erie school is scared to play. We actually had multiple teams turn down playing us this year because they didn’t want a loss on their record. There is so much to say and celebrate about this season. The girls defeated Mercyhurst Prep, McDowell, had two girls make it to the D10 quarterfinals of singles for the first time in 20 years, we got second place at the tri-county tournament (Prep got first) out of 11 teams, made it to the D10 team tournament, and won our first semifinal ever against the Region 1 champion, Hickory, and ended the season as D10 runnerups for the first time in program history.

“Although we fell short in the end and got second, we are still celebrating this accomplishment,” he said. “The majority of our starters will … be back next year and are now even more hungry than ever for that D10 gold. We’re going to learn from this match today and use it as fuel in the off-season to come back even stronger next season and try to knock off Cathedral Prep for that title.”