Fairfield freshman Charoenkul one step closer to state title

Anatta Charoenkul?s quest to be the state champion in singles? tennis began today in Waterloo, as the Fairfield freshman defeated Paige Edens of Camanche 6-1, 6-0 to open play.

Charoenkul earned the top seed in the 1A singles? bracket after a season where she only lost five games all year. Not five sets, five games. And the games she lost came to Davis County?s Jordyn Thompson, the runner-up at the state-qualifying meet that Fairfield hosted last week. Should Thompson and Charoenkul play again at the state meet, it?ll be in the finals because they?re on opposite ends of the bracket.

According to Quikstats, which admittedly has not been updated for some teams, Charoenkul and Mt. Vernon?s Wynne Vandersall are the only two class 1A girls? tennis players with 10+ matches played and an undefeated set record. Vandersall will be in the doubles? tournament, so Charoenkul won?t have to deal with her.

The remaining seeded players are: No. 2 Olivia Fain  (10-2) of Waterloo-Columbus; No. 3 Emily Jurgensen (15-3) of Ballard and No. 4 Chelsea Poesch (12-2) of Waverly-Shell Rock.

However, Fain and Jurgensen are foes that lurk in a potential state-championship match. Charoenkul will face the winner of Danielle Martin of LeMars and Bronwyn Metcalf of Pella in the second round. Other potential foes in the top half of the bracket are Sarah Cabeen (12-3) of Clarinda, Audrey Hinz (7-7) of Dubuque-Wahlert, Melanie Gustafson (12-2) of Saydel and Poesch.

Lurking on the bottom side of the bracket is Sarah Wood (13-0) of Shenandoah. Wood was undefeated in the regular season before falling to Cabeen in the Red Oak regional final 7-6 (5), 7-5.  Stephanie Bush (6-4) of Davenport-Assumption draws the first round matchup against Wood.

Other bottom bracket matchups include: Lily Roozeboom (12-5) of Pella will face Decorah?s Kally Peterson (10-3) in the first round. Jurgensen will face off with LeMars?s Elizabeth Ihrke in round one as well.

The individual state tennis meet runs today and tomorrow in Waterloo. See Friday?s Ledger for more on Charoenkul?s route to the state championship in singles? play.