Performance: TC Central's Autumn Roberts
May 4, 2018
Autumn Roberts
Traverse City Central senior – Tennis
Traverse City Central’s No. 1 singles player became the latest in a long line of Trojans to claim her 100th win, reaching the milestone with two more at last week’s Saginaw Heritage quad to earn the Michigan Army National Guard “Performance of the Week.” Roberts claimed her 99th career victory in a tie-breaker against Grand Blanc’s Ava Dunlap, then her 100th in straight sets over Davison’s Krystan Delay.
Roberts’ record this season is 10-6, and her career record now stands at 106-24. While Roberts became the 44th player in Traverse City Central girls tennis history to reach 100 victories, she’s the only one in program history to win an MHSAA Finals singles championship – she finished first at No. 4 singles in Lower Peninsula Division 1 as a freshman as her team finished fifth overall. Roberts moved up to No. 2 singles as a sophomore as the Trojans tied for 12th in Division 1, and last season she won a Regional title at No. 1 singles and made all-state as the Trojans tied for fifth in Division 2. Central is ranked No. 7 in Division 2 this week, and the Trojans have taken on some of the best across the Lower Peninsula – five of Roberts’ six defeats this spring have come against players from teams ranked in Division 1 or 2. She also owns wins over Kaitlyn Fox of Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central – last season’s Division 2 runner-up at No. 2 singles – and Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood’s Emma Sable, the Cranes’ top player when they finished third in Division 3 in 2017.
Roberts carries a 3.8 grade-point average and will attend Michigan State University. She’s a member of the National Business Honor Society and will major in finance on a track to become a chartered financial analyst. She also was a member of the Traverse City Central girls bowling team as a junior, something she did more for fun. Tennis is the serious pursuit – but as captain this spring she’s made fun a focus for this team as well as it’s continued to rank among the state’s elite.
Coach Shane Dilloway said: “Autumn's success starts with the years she has spent on the court. Leading up to high school, she dreamed of playing Trojan tennis, and her dedication to that dream turned into reality her freshman year when she earned a singles position in a highly experienced singles lineup. Since then, Autumn has climbed the singles ladder to play 1 singles her junior and senior years. She thrives on competition, adapts quickly to each match, has a versatile game and is extremely coachable. One of her strongest attributes is she doesn't put her emotions on display, aside from the joy she has for the sport. She experiences a range of emotions internally, from self-doubt to pure glee, but she keeps that hidden from her opponents. Above her inside-out forehand and touch volleys, her poker face may be her greatest weapon. She's an asset to the program and elevates everyone's game. Her ability and skills challenge her peers to rise to their best, and her respect for the game, her opponents, and the overall environment make Autumn a leader by example.”
Performance Point: “I had an idea of how many wins I had going into the tournament,” Roberts said. “I originally thought that I wasn’t going to get the 100th win that day because I started losing my first match; I needed two wins, so if I didn’t win the first match, I wasn’t going to get my 100th. But I actually came back in the second set and it went to a tie-breaker, and I ended up winning. And after that one, I kinda had a feeling – I had really positive energy and I was able to get my 100th later in the day. … I’ve played tennis all my life, and I was always looking forward to joining the century club because I knew a lot of people who hit their 100th their senior year, and I have a lot of friends who are in the club. It’s really cool, and it’s great to be part of that experience, and now I get a banner with all my other friends in the century club.”
Finding treasure: “Obviously the state title was pretty great freshman year. But honestly, my teammates were really making each season so great. Winning is fun and all, but I think just the memories of everyone on the team is what I’ll treasure most later in life. Looking back, it’s really just smiling and laughing with my friends – but the wins are fun too.”
Captain Roberts: “When I came in as a freshman, it was just me and another girl, and we were kinda on the outskirts at first because the team had known each other for so long. After I won the state title, it brought me in. And then throughout the years, as new people came in, I would round everyone up and I was able to get the captain position this year. I feel like I’ve really grown as a player and as a teammate, being able to bring everyone together as that leading figure. (Grown by) just really being comfortable on the court, and off the court, and just keeping a positive mindset and getting everyone else fired up to play. I know how it feels to be scared at first, but I think I’m doing a good job of incorporating everyone, making everyone feel comfortable. Everyone’s just having fun.”
Let’s make a run: “Everyone on the team is doing really well. We have some underclassmen handling the pressure really well. I think we’re going to improve over the season and come out pretty strong at states, hopefully. I think going into playing really good DI schools (as part of the tough regular-season schedule), it’s not being so hard on yourself and keeping that positive mindset. Because if you go in expecting a bad outcome or just trying to hit whatever, you’re going to mess up. If we just refocus, regroup, give ourselves some credit for being how good we actually are, then going into those big matches it will change the outcome. … I want each flight to gain some confidence, and playing against the top dogs I want to test them a little bit, give them a good match, not give up. If we’re down, I want to be able to come back and fight and just give it our all. We have some big tournaments coming up – one in Holly this weekend -- and just hitting as hard as we can and giving it our best, it will really help us.”
Making it count: “Since it’s my last year, I just want to leave without any regrets. I don’t want to look back and think, ‘Oh I should’ve done this,’ so I think in the moment not letting my head get away from me and staying focused on each point. Even if I lose, I just want to feel like I gave it my best shot.”
- Geoff Kimmerly, Second Half editor
Every week during the 2017-18 school year, Second Half and the Michigan Army National Guard will recognize a “Performance of the Week" from among the MHSAA's 750 member high schools.
The Michigan Army National Guard provides trained and ready forces in support of the National Military Strategy, and responds as needed to state, local, and regional emergencies to ensure peace, order, and public safety. The Guard adds value to our communities through continuous interaction. National Guard soldiers are part of the local community. Guardsmen typically train one weekend per month and two weeks in the summer. This training maintains readiness when needed, be it either to defend our nation's freedom or protect lives and property of Michigan citizens during a local natural disaster.
Previous 2017-18 honorees:
April 26: Thomas Robinson, Wyoming Lee track & field - Read
March 29: Carlos Johnson, Benton Harbor basketball - Read
March 22: Shine Strickland-Gills, Saginaw Heritage basketball - Read
March 15: Skyler Cook-Weeks, Holland Christian swimming - Read
March 8: Dakota Greer, Howard City Tri-County wrestling - Read
March 1: Camree' Clegg, Wayne Memorial basketball - Read
February 23: Aliah Robertson, Sault Ste. Marie swimming - Read
February 16: Austin O'Hearon, Eaton Rapids wrestling - Read
February 9: Sophia Wiard, Muskegon Oakridge basketball - Read
February 2: Brenden Tulpa, Hartland hockey - Read
January 25: Brandon Whitman, Dundee wrestling - Read
January 18: Derek Maas, Holland West Ottawa swimming - Read
January 11: Lexi Niepoth, Bellaire basketball - Read
November 30: La'Darius Jefferson, Muskegon football - Read
November 23: Ashley Turak, Farmington Hills Harrison swimming - Read
November 16: Bryce Veasley, West Bloomfield football - Read
November 9: Jose Penaloza, Holland soccer - Read
November 2: Karenna Duffey, Macomb L'Anse Creuse North cross country - Read
October 26: Anika Dy, Traverse City West golf - Read
October 19: Andrew Zhang, Bloomfield Hills tennis - Read
October 12: Nolan Fugate, Grand Rapids Catholic Central football - Read
October 5: Marissa Ackerman, Munising tennis - Read
September 28: Minh Le, Portage Central soccer - Read
September 21: Olivia Theis, Lansing Catholic cross country - Read
September 14: Maddy Chinn, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep volleyball - Read
PHOTOS: (Top) Traverse City Central’s Autumn Roberts returns a volley during her team’s home quad. (Middle) Roberts follows through during an MHSAA Finals match at Hope College last season. (Photos courtesy of the Traverse City Central girls tennis program.)
Flight Finals Wins Help Iron Mountain Complete Team Title Climb
By
Travis Nelson
Special for Second Half
September 30, 2021
ISHPEMING – Iron Mountain capped off its season as Upper Peninsula Finals champions Thursday afternoon, claiming the Division 2 title at Westwood High School.
The Mountaineers won flight titles at No. 2 singles and No. 2 and 3 doubles, earning 17 points. Last season’s champion, West Iron County, finished runner-up with 14 points. Ironwood and Ishpeming tied for third with seven, followed by Munising with five, Gwinn four and Norway.
“First and foremost, I’m just extremely proud of these girls,” Iron Mountain coach Marcus Celello said. Last year we got second place and we were one match away from winning it, so we knew what it took to be close. But first day of practice, we said that was the ceiling, that was our potential, that nothing was going to be given to us. My main takeaway is just that I’m really proud of this group of girls.”
Iron Mountain had finished runner-up six times since winning its last Finals championship while playing in Division 1 in 2010.
This Division 2 title was going to come down to a couple of matches between Iron Mountain and West Iron County. The Mountaineers and Wykons faced off in three flight finals, and Iron Mountain won all of them.
“We knew it could very well come down to a situation like this, us and West Iron in a couple of finals, and whoever pulls away in those will come out on top,” Celello said. “Low and behold, that’s essentially what happened today. We were prepared for the possibility and we just didn’t let it affect us mentally, and we just played our game and took care of business.”
For the Mountaineers, Aziza Burgoon had to come back against West Iron County’s Aurora Dahl after losing the first set to win No. 2 singles 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 in a long match. She was joined by her waiting teammates on the court for a celebration afterward.
“The first set I was pretty nervous,” Burgoon said. “Normally, I’m not a very nervous person, but I guess emotions got to me and I dropped the first set. Then I went over and talked to my coach and they said, ‘Leave it all out there and just have fun,’ and that’s when I really started playing well. Just having fun, and I won the second set, and the third set I was nervous coming back a little bit.”
Danika Juul and Rediet Husing won No. 2 doubles for Iron Mountain, downing West Iron County’s Lillie Schmutzler and Callista Bortolameolli 6-2, 6-3.
“It feels really, really good,” Juul said. “When we play them, it’s always a really good match, and it feels good that we were able to pull through at the end there.”
The tandem’s motto for the season was “smarter not harder” on their shots, and it led to three points on the year’s biggest stage.
“Point by point too, that was key for us,” Husing said.
Anike Cameron and Kensie St. John captured No. 3 doubles for Iron Mountain with a 6-3, 6-3 win over West Iron County’s Autumn Smith and Seanna Stine.
Elsewhere, West Iron County’s Kali Applin had to bounce back after dropping the first set to win No. 1 singles 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 over Gwinn’s Lily Kerry. After taking home the No. 2 singles title last year, it was an emotional end to Applin’s career.
“It was a long match, but I feel good,” Applin said. “Just knowing that I had another chance to get it back, there’s always a second set, and if I win that, there’s always a third set that I can win. It feels good to win for the school.”
The Wykons also took No. 3 singles, with Brynlee Nodurft defeating Munising’s Jenna Matson in straight sets 6-4, 6-2.
“It was really my mental game,” Nodurft said. “I was down 4-1 in the first set and that was really hard for me, and I’m just glad I came back. It was really difficult and I’ve never played her, so it was really hard because I didn’t know how she played. So I guess I was just learning her game and how to mix with that.”
Ironwood and Ishpeming won the remaining flights, with Ironwood getting victories at No. 1 and No. 4 doubles, and the Hematites claiming No. 4 singles. Leilah Anderson and Ella Darrow defeated Iron Mountain’s Bella Brown and Anja Kleiman 6-1, 6-2 at No.1. The Red Devils’ pair of Sarah Lauzon and Yoyo Sin downed another Iron Mountain team of Hailey Greenleaf and Mia Vedin 2-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-2 to clinch a share of third place.
Ishpeming was able to get No. 4 singles with a 6-1, 6-2 win by Emily DeMarois over Iron Mountain’s Elle Loftholm. DeMarois started the year playing doubles, and it took a tough adjustment to play singles and get the Hematites a flight title.
“It actually took a lot because I didn’t play singles until about halfway through the season,” DeMarois said. “So to come out here, especially in this heat, it’s crazy. It took a lot of mental power and just not beating myself the whole time.”
Iron Mountain didn’t have to face the adversity it experienced at times during the regular season, but the days that didn’t go right prior to Thursday helped make the championship moment.
“It took lots of ups and downs,” Celello said. “There were days where we lost 0-8, 1-7 sometimes against some high-quality opponents. You just can’t let that affect you mentally. What I’ve been preaching to the girls is that tennis is already 60 percent mental, 40 percent physical. If we let it get to more of a mental game than it already is, we’re not going to be successful. Our message before we all went out to start today was that we just had to take it point by point.”
PHOTOS (Top) Iron Mountain's Aziza Burgoon takes in the moment during her No. 2 singles win. (Middle) West Iron County's Kali Applin follows through on a shot during the No. 1 singles final. (Photos by Travis Nelson.)