Triton three singles Hannah Wanemacher returns a volley against Kate O’Laughlin of New Prairie in the opening round of the Northern State Conference girls tennis tournament Thursday at Bremen. (Photos by Mike Deak)

BREMEN – After day one of the Northern State Conference girls tennis tournament, Triton has put itself in prime position to capture the tournament title. With three wins and a pair of first-round top-seed byes, Triton has all five of its courts in the winner’s bracket for Saturday’s championship push.

Triton coach Al Peckham was thrilled with what he saw Thursday in opening round play as his two doubles team along with his two and three singles players each picked up straight set victories.

Triton two doubles player Quinn Downing places a shot against LaVille.

Standing out of the three matchups for Triton was the three singles win from freshman Hannah Wanemacher. In avenging a regular season loss to New Prairie’s Kate O’Laughlin, Wanemacher needed just over 40 minutes to complete a 6-1, 6-0 victory. Wanemacher was in control of her forehand shots and took advantage of several of O’Laughlin’s service errors to put away the points.

“She played as well as she has all season,” Peckham said of Wanemacher. “I explained to her she should have no problems. Just play your game, and you can win. Sometimes the game is all mental. She got started quick and it just got better for her.”

Also impressive on the singles courts was Triton No. 2 Shayla May. Handling the powerful return shots of Knox’s Brooke Eby, May stayed within her means and collected a 6-1, 6-2 win. Peckham noted May really only had one lapse in play early in the second set where Eby won her two games, but otherwise the Triton junior was right where she has been this season.

“The second set she had a small lapse, but she got her footwork right and you saw the rest,” Peckham said of May. “We’ve been working on her footwork all season. Small steps. She has the confidence to do very well, and once she gets in a rhythm, she can play like she did today for much of her match.”

Starting out the day for Triton was the combo of sophomore Quinn Downing and freshman Emma Ross. The two doubles team were evenly matched against LaVille’s Savannah Lucas and Brianna Lindke, and both teams showed their versatility. Ross’ baseline work helped Triton to a 7-6 (5) win in the first set and Downing helped with some crafty net play in the second set of a 6-2 Triton clincher.

Emma Ross from the Triton two doubles team works against LaVille.

“Two doubles has been a slow starter all season, and they found some magic in that first set,” Peckham said. “They will do well. They see Jimtown Saturday and have already beaten them twice.”

Add in the byes that No. 1 singles senior Kaelyn Mason and No. 1 doubles senior Kylie Mason and freshman Kolbie Mason each earned as one-seeds in their respective brackets. The Trojans sit at 27 points after day one, up four on Knox and seven on Bremen, the lone team to beat Triton this season in NSC play, or for that matter, in the regular season.

Play resumes Saturday at Bremen with all five court champions to be crowned.

Mason will face Bremen’s Alexa Harshbarger, a straight set winner against Kaitlyn Haisley of LaVille. May will take on Tessa Bauman of New Prairie, who beat Brittnie Spoonhauer of Glenn. Wanemacher will matchup with top-seed Kylie Phillips of Bremen, who had the first-round bye in the three singles bracket.

The Mason sisters will take on the Knox one doubles team of Kourtney Wagner and Shelby Faverty, winners over Glenn. And Downing and Ross will play Jimtown’s Erin Scott and Katie Beron, who needed three sets to defeat New Prairie.

“We’re in great shape with all five advancing forward,” Peckham said. “That was our goal, and having two already in the bank, it was nice to see the other three positions step forward.”

Triton No. 2 singles player Shayla May volleys against Knox’s Brooke Eby in the opening round of the Northern State Conference girls tennis tournament Thursday at Bremen.