SHELBY TOWNSHIP >> Trophy season for girls tennis got underway on Thursday at Utica Eisenhower, where the Eagles, one of the favorites for the Division 1 state title, claimed a regional championship on their home court over runner-up Stoney Creek.

“We have worked hard,” said Ike co-head coach Kevin Donahue. “Our kids have worked so hard. We do so many things like offseason workouts, summer camps and things because this isn’t really a tennis community. It’s really a nice accomplishment for us.”

The No. 1 singles final featured Gabby Sadowski from Ike and Izzy Barretto from Stoney Creek. Sadowski is the defending state champ at that flight, while Barretto may be her top competition to take the crown. But Sadowski was the better player on the day, taking home a 6-4, 6-1 win.

“That was a really fun match to watch,” said Mike Pearson, the other half of the Eisenhower coaching duo. ”That first set was crazy close, and in the third match of the day, with both of them coming off of injury or sickness, it was hard. Gabby was able to take control in that second set and that was huge.”

At No. 2 singles, freshman Morgan Emerick of Ike added a 7-5, 6-2 win over Stoney Creek’s Allison Doka.

“Morgan is a phenomenal kid. She is so mentally stable,” said Pearson, before Donahue added that she is a “grandma freshman,” noting that she exudes a great confidence and maturity on the court well beyond her years.

Eisenhower, last year’s runner-up to Clarkston at states, also got a dominant win from No. 2 doubles pair Alexis Gabriel and Alayna Aamodt. They defeated Port Huron Northern duo Isabella Evenson and Alena Anderson.

“That doubles team is undefeated this year,” said Pearson. “Three doubles was also so impressive. And how about four doubles coming back from 5-0 in the third set to win 7-5?”

Maria Kahmi and Kara Lu were the No. 3 doubles flight mentioned, while Kayla Harris and Olivia Martinovski won the No. 4 doubles flight over Romeo’s Isabel Andray and Hailey Rohrborn.

Ike, who came in ranked No. 1 in the division, secured 26 points to win the title, while Stoney Creek (ranked No. 9) came in second with 23 to join Ike at the state finals. Romeo also punched its ticket to states, reaching the qualifying mark on the number with 18. The rest of the day shook out with Port Huron Northern finishing with 16 points, followed by L’Anse Creuse North with six, Chippewa Valley with four, Dakota with two, and Utica and Anchor Bay both with one.

“This is one of the most competitive regions in the state at the top,” Pearson said. “Romeo is always really good at the lower doubles, obviously Stoney is always super competitive.”

“I thought it was a great day,” said Stoney Creek head coach Dave Pietrangelo. “I told the girls I believe this is our highest point total since we got moved into this regional.”

Stoney Creek got two flight winners. In No. 3 singles, Leslie Bahk locked up her championship with a win over Kayleigh Deguzman of Romeo and No. 4 singles player Addison Michalak beat Romeo’s Gabriella Farnese in her final.

“They are great,” Pietrangelo said of his regional flight champs. “I was telling my assistant that they are two people we don’t have to coach often. They’re going to compete, they’re going to make balls and they are going to fight until the end. As juniors now they are better at some of that kind of stuff and they have put in the work. Leslie was amazing today, dropping only five games, and Addison winning two matches today that lost earlier in the year is a very nice flip. She was down early in her final and battled and battled.”

Stoney Creek knows that it saw arguably the top dog it will run into at the state finals on Thursday, and Pietrangelo isn’t counting out a nice finish to his team’s season.

“The tune doesn’t change all that much after today,” Pietrangelo said. “We will hold our heads high and try to go compete for a state title. If we get a few good draws and such we have a chance to go deep. This might be the most improved team over the course of a season I have ever had, and two weeks of practice will only improve that.”

Port Huron Northern had a great showing from its No. 1 doubles pair, as Grace Goldman and Ashlyn Kinney took down Stoney Creek’s Larissa Yoshino and Yousong Choi.

The day overall, however, belonged to Eisenhower, and it is now time to see how far they can take this ride.

“These girls have worked their butts off,” Pearson said. “It’s all about them.”