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Cold north winds blew down Colorado Street Thursday morning as Kepley Middle school students gathered in front of the school to welcome one of their high school heroes. Ulysses High School senior Clarissa Sianuqui was honored just a few minutes earlier at the high school and made a stop at Kepley to be recognized for qualifying for the state tennis tournament for the second straight year. The tournament took place last weekend at Topeka-Kossover Tennis Center.
“It’s a blessing to go back again and get there chance to feel how it is at state and go against higher competitors,” Sianuqui said.
Sianuqui goes to Topeka with a 21-3 record, her only losses coming against Allison Zimmerman of Colby (7-4) Sept. 14, Danica Galia of Garden City (8-2) Sept. 28, and Addison Owens of Goodland (6-4, 4-6, 11-13) during the regional tournament Oct. 12 in McPherson. Sianuqui had earlier defeated Owens 7-5 Sept. 14 in Goodland.
“It’s been a great season,” said head coach Josh Hickock. “Two of her losses come to people from GWAC and we’re kind of traded a couple wins back and forth with those people. Our third loss was to the No. 1 girl from Garden, who is a 6A state qualifier. So, some really tough competition.
“Her record’s actually one of the better looking ones in the state for 4A.”
There’s only a handful of players across Kansas that have a better record.
Sianuqui has been playing tennis for UHS her entire high school career and is making a return trip to state this year after winning the Great Western Athletic Conference championship and placing fifth at the regional tournament where she qualified for state by defeating teammate Nayeli Romero in the “Blood Round,” where the winner goes to Topeka and the loser stays home.
“On my second round, I went a Goodland girl which I had a good outcome against her every game I’ve players against her but this time I lost to her by two points, so it was an upset,” Sianuqui said. “If I would have beat her, I wouldn’t have had to have gone against my teammate. But going against my teammate was kind of sad knowing one of us wasn’t going to make it and just go home.”
Clarissa went into the state tournament as the No. 5 singles seed out of the McPherson Regional behind No. 1 seed junior Maryn Sandbo of McPherson (24-8); senior Adalyn Pfizenmaier of Clay Center Community (26-7); sophomore Alexandria Rodriguez of McPherson (23-7); Owens of Goodland (19-9) and ahead of No. 6 Zimmerman of Colby (23-9).
At state, Clarissa won two and lost two, including to the eventual state champion.
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