Noll wins first Tennis title since 1989

Updated: May 19, 2011 10:08PM

EAST CHICAGO — Bishop Noll’s Stacy Krahn couldn’t contain her excitement as she hugged teammate Tate Hickey and started to celebrate.

The Warriors’ No. 1 and No. 2 singles players weren’t even close to being born the last time Bishop Noll won a girls sectional tennis title in 1989.

Twenty-two years later, the Warriors finally accomplished the elusive feat with a 3-2 win over two-time defending champion Whiting at the EC Central Sectional on Thursday.

“I’m so happy about it,’’ said Krahn, who transferred from Munster to Noll for her senior year three days after school began in August.

“I’m just so happy I’m a part of a team that finally wins here, because it’s been so long.’’

Krahn understands all too well what winning a sectional means since she played for a program that has now won 35 straight sectionals.

“It really means a lot to me, since they hadn’t won here in so long,’’ said Krahn, who is 14-0 this season. “It means a lot to me to be able to share in this experience with all of my teammates.’’

Krahn made short work of Whiting’s Megan Jakovich at No. 1 singles, winning 6-1, 6-0.

“I think I did a good job with my corner shots and making her run,’’ Krahn said.

Hickey, meanwhile, overcame a letdown in the first set against Whiting’s Jazmyne Henderson at No. 2 singles and won, 7-5, 6-2.

Leading 1-0, Hickey had a controversial shot Henderson played, go against her.

“I was really down after that,’’ she said. “I missed at least three or four shots before I realized: ‘I want this more than she does, and I deserve it more than she does.’ I knew I couldn’t let something like that bring me down and that I had to work past it.”

Hickey actually fell behind 4-1, but battled back to take a 5-4 lead. While Henderson knotted the match at 5, Hickey eventually won in straight sets.

“It feels really good to be involved in something like this,’’ Hickey said. “It feels good to be on a winning team. Winning the sectional makes me feel like I’ve actually contributed to something. My name’s going to be out there now. Hopefully, we can just keep going strong. Most of the teams I’ve played for aren’t successful. I can actually brag about something now. Hopefully, people will actually recognize what we’ve done and give us some credit.’’

For Noll coach Steve Tapia, capturing the school’s fifth sectional title was the culmination of a lot of hard work.

“It took me five years to work with the girls and get them to this point,’’ he said. “We just couldn’t get over the hill. We had a real strong team last year and lost in the first round to Whiting. Two years ago, we lost to Whiting in the championship round. It’s been a struggle, but now I’m happy for them. They deserve it.’’

© 2012 Sun-Times Media, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be copied or distributed without permission. For more information about reprints and permissions, visit www.suntimesreprints.com. To order a reprint of this article, click here.