Massey Basketball: Streaks Scrapbook- 1979/1980 Girls Tennis

The warm weather this week, motivated me to think outside the gym, and look back at outdoor team in this “Streaks Scrapbook.”

For many athletes, they are driven with the goal of making it to State, or making the Playoffs. Only the great in high school sports are able to earn those honors. Many athletes who achieve these heights of excellence go unnoticed if they are not part of a spectator sport.

The 1979 (1979-80 school year) and 1980 (1980-1 school year) girls tennis team “made it to State” both years. If “only the great” qualify for State, the ‘79 and ‘80 tennis teams went beyond that. They didn’t just qualify, they excelled at State. The ‘79 team took 5th in State and the ‘80 team took 4th in State.

For a downstate school to finish in the top five at State is almost unheard of. Tennis is a sport dominated by the Chicago and St.Louis suburbs. In the next 45 years of IHSA tennis, only twice has a downstate tennis team placed in the top five at State- Rockford Guildford in 1987 and Springfield in 2005.

Placing in the top five at State is not easy. At Galesburg HS, nine sports have never finished in the top five at State. Only seven times in the 125 year history of Galesburg sports has ANY sports team finished in the top five in back to back years.

After the 1979 team placed 5th in State, they actually felt they could have done better. The Streaks had not gotten the seeds they felt they deserved so had some tough draws. The surburban coaches who did the seeding did not recognize downstate teams. So the 1980 season meant the Streaks scheduled two trips to Chicago to play powerhouses like the New Triers, Barrington, Hinsdale Central, and Buffalo Grove. “Getting to State” was obviously not good enough for these Streaks.

Galesburg HS History

Galesburg HS has fielded teams for over 100 years. During that time, only 29 GHS teams have finished in the top five in their sport. The 1979 and 1980 girls tennis teams account for two of those teams. Only 23 of those 29 teams are in the GHS Athletic HOF. Neither tennis team has been inducted. In our society, sometimes recognition of girls sports has been slow.

Only 7 times has a Silver Streak team finished in the top five in back to back years. The 1979 and 1980 girls tennis teams are one of those teams to go back to back.

1979 & 1980 Girls Tennis By The Numbers

1979 Team

Dual Meets-

18 wins- 0 losses.

In those 18 matches, the Streaks were 157-12 in the individual matches. The two closest matches of the year were 6-3 vs. both Kewanee and Barrington. The three varsity doubles teams lost only one match then entire season.

Western Big 6

Team- First

Individually- Heidi Eastman (1st singles), Amanda Allen (3rd singles), Jackie Brennan & Ellen Meling (1st doubles), Amy Crisman & Sarah Peterson (2nd doubles).

District

Team- First

Individually- Sarah Peterson (1st singles), Amy Crisman (4th singles), Heidi Eastman & Amanda Allen (1st doubles), Jackie Brennan & Ellen Meling (2nd doubles)

State

Team- 5th

Individually- Jackie Brennan & Ellen Meling (6th doubles), Heidi Eastman & Amanda Allen (7th doubles)

1980 Team

Dual Meets

18-1

In those 19 matches, the Streaks were 163-13 in the individual matches. Besides the match that they lost to Richwoods, no other team scored higher than 2.

Western Big 6

Team- First

Individually- Heidi Eastman (1st singles), Sarah Peterson (2nd singles), Amanda Allen & Amy Crisman (1st doubles)

District

Team- First

Individually- Sarah Peterson (1st singles), Jenny Scherer (4th singles), Heidi Eastman & Amanda Allen (1st doubles)

State

Team- 4th

Individually- Heidi Eastman & Amanda Allen (2nd doubles), Sarah Peterson (consolation cancelled for weather)

1979 & 1980 Combined

Dual Meets

36-1 combined

35 straight wins

No losses within the WB6.

Western Big 6

2 x champs

Outscored other second place 25.5 to 10

District

2 x champs

Advanced 10 of 12 possible to State.

State

5th Place (‘79), 4th Place (‘80)

Varsity Players & Coach

1979 Varsity Players

Jackie Brennan, Jenny Scherer, Ellen Meling, Sarah Peterson, Heidi Eastman, Amanda Allen, Amy Crisman, Shelly Owens, Marci McDonald, Vicki Guerra, Kelly Swanson, Amy Clague, Peggy Gruba, Saylor Ruland

1979 District Team

Singles- Sarah Peterson, Amy Crisman

Doubles- Jackie Brennan & Ellen Meling, Heidi Eastman & Amanda Allen

1980 Varsity Players

Jenny Scherer, Sarah Peterson, Heidi Eastman, Amanda Allen, Amy Crisman, Shelly Owens, Gayle Woolsey, Maureen Wilcutts, Sharon Hoben, Nicki Hill, Kris Klein, Lynn Lavender, Robin Shepherd

1980 District Team

Singles- Sarah Peterson, Jenny Scherer

Doubles- Heidi Eastman & Amanda Allen, Amy Crisman & Shelly Owens

Coach