Lady Buck Tennis Qualifies for Districts

Senior, Danielle Rider flanked by her parents, Kathy and Frank Fox at senior day.

By Jim Morgan

FARWELL –  There is a tradition here at Bucktail High School that does not get recognized for its success in ten-plus straight years of making the District IV play-offs. That would be the Lady Bucks tennis team coached by Dan and Alison Heiser for eleven straight years. Just think how hard that is for these two coaches as for most of the girls they do not know what a tennis racket is until the ninth grade. 

The Lady Bucks finished the season with a record of 9-7 and needed to win two of their last three matches to qualify for the play-offs; they finished the season with three straight wins over Galeton, Towanda and St. John Neumann. The Lady Bucks are young and looking to see many of them back next season as they said goodbye to their only senior during Tuesday’s final match.

Senior Danielle Rider and parents walked under the ceiling of rackets for the last time on the Bucktail tennis courts as coach Dan Heiser gave a wonderful speech on thanking her for her hard work and not giving up during some difficult matches throughout her career. Rider won her 5th seed single match against SJN 6-1, 6-1. 

Last Wednesday, the Lady Bucks lost 3-2 to Muncy as the record was standing at 6-7 with three matches to go. Bucktail traveled to Galeton to win a 4-3 match making them 7-7. Then on Monday they made the long trip to Towanda and won 4-3 over the Black Knights as they won four of the five single matches to seal the win. Coach Alison Heiser allowed the other girls to get some doubles in as the Lady Bucks prep for the play-offs for double teams. 

The Lady Bucks will not know when or who they will face in the District IV Team Tennis play-offs until Sunday afternoon. But they do know that it will be played on Tuesday at the beautiful Bloomsburg University tennis courts. Also the seeding will determine what time they start on Tuesday as well. In play-offs, they will play three singles and two double matches, all starting at the same time.  So for most of you that follow the Lady Bucks tennis, there is no repeating as a double player.

BUCKTAIL 2 – MUNCY 3

Singles:

Isabella Rymsza (M) def. Sarah Rathmell (B) 6-3, 6-0

Alena Porter (M) def. Myka Poorman (B) 6-0, 6-1

Sara Kepler (B) def. Faith Mihalick (M) 7-5, 6-1

Doubles:

Kryshia Reis & Lexis Acmenta (M) def. D. Rider & D. Green (B) 6-1, 6-1

C. Del Torre & C. Gentzyel (B) def. Gianna Edick & Breanna King (M) 6-4, 3-6, 11-9

BUCKTAIL 4 – TOWANDA 3

Singles:

S. Rathmell (B) def. K. Davidson (T) 6-4, 6-1

M. Poorman (B) def. K. Hoffman (T) 6-0, 6-2

S. Kepler (B) def. E. Morris (T) 6-3, 6-4

D. Green (B) def. K. Walsh (T) 6-2, 6-2

C. Swackhamer (T) def. D. Rider (B) 6-2, 6-3

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