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Bloomington South’s Maddie Santner leads Herald-Times All-Area Girls Tennis

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Bloomington South’s Maddie Santner leads Herald-Times All-Area Girls Tennis

Maddie Santner had to switch gears as much as a semi truck driver over the past two years.

The Bloomington South standout went from doubles to singles as a junior, taking over the No. 1 spot. That in turn demanded more growth this season and there’s still more to come as she moves on to play for Hanover College.

Santner, the 2024 Herald-Times Girls’ Tennis Player of the Year, became a tougher foe to beat by embracing the process.

“I think Maddie’s always been a competitor, and she’s always been one wanting to club the ball,” South coach Matt Corry said. “What happened this year, is that she was able to grow in her ability to pair that competitive nature with being patient and being selective.

“She grew in her ability to manage her emotions and be comfortable with attention. A lot of times a tennis player wants to get the point quickly. They want it to be over. What she started doing, is her maturity allowed her to be able to put shots together to create opportunities.”

That’s when he saw Santner at her best.

“She was able to manage the anxiety of competition and enjoy the process and not fear the result,” Corry said. “She also gave me the ability to help her work her way through these matches. That’s an honor from my end to give me the ability to coach and for them to respond and work through it together.”

In fact it turned into a revenge tour of sorts as she sought to reverse every loss she suffered as a junior. Santner was able to adjust and find ways to rally when she fell behind or have more confidence when playing the best players on the Panthers’ schedule, which included eventual state champ Kathryn Wilson of Columbus North.

“She grew into that,” Corry said. “It’s easy to think in all or nothing, so at the beginning of the season, she played a girl from Franklin who was also a senior all-star and she sheepishly celebrated that she got a game off her.

“Then by the end of the year, with the ability to turn it up a notch, she wasn’t just hoping to hang on. She was competing point by point and then seeing what the score is. She did not fear the result. She was able to be more free and that really showed in her growth.”

SINGLES

KEIRA MUPRHY, North, Sr.

Took over the No. 1 spot for Cougars after three years at doubles. Placed second at Crawfordsville Invitational. All-Conference Indiana. IHSTCA Academic All-State. Four-time All-Area.

MADDIE SANTNER, South, Sr.

Panthers’ top player and H-T Girls’ Tennis Player of the Year led her squad to its first sectional title since 2019, going 14-6. Indiana High School Tennis Coaches Association All-District 5 and honorable mention all-state. All-Conference Indiana. Senior All-Star. Four-time All-Area. Will play at Hanover.

BROOKE LIAO, South, Sr.

No. 2 singles player again this season had Panthers’ lone win in regional semifinal to cap 7-9 season. IHSTCA Academic All-State.

DOUBLES

HANNAH VANDEVENTER, So. and CARLA DEMETER, Fr. South

New pairing this year built up chemistry as the season went along, finishing 7-9. Vandeventer was a No. 3 singles player last year. Demeter was named All-Conference Indiana.

QUINN REYNOLDS, Fr. and EVERLY CLARK, Fr. South

First-year duo had plenty of success in helping Panthers to a sectional title and finishing 13-8, including a three-set win at No. 1 doubles that clinched a 3-2 win over North.

Honorable mention: Ingrid Pedergast, Sr. and Ashley Stegemoller, Fr. North; Wren Millick, Jr. (11-5) and Maris Holmes, Sr. (13-4), Edgewood (11-3 as doubles). Macy Vaughn, Edgewood, Sr. (11-8).

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