(Photo: From left, Wellsville seniors Caitlin Bittel, Samantha Bidzerkowny, McKenna Wonderling, Hanna Miles and Shayla Cowan. Chris Brooks photo)
Story by JOHN ANDERSON, photos by CHRIS BROOKS
WELLSVILLE — In a sport that only allows 14 regular season games during the New York state tennis, season, winning 50 matches is quite an accomplishment. In other sports, athletes in 7th- through 10th-grade can enter a soccer or basketball game and score goals to add to career numbers.
Not in tennis.
You earn first, second and third singles and you earn first or second doubles. Once that match starts, those starters are locked.
On Wednesday night in Wellsville, something historic happened: Samantha Bidzerkowny, Hanna Miles and Caitlin Bittel each won their 50th career match — on the same night.
Quick: When was the last time two players scored their 1,000th point on the same night, or two players scored milestone career goals in soccer the same night? In every sport, when a career milestone is reached, there are balloons and signs and photos.
For one person.
THREE? In one night?
And it was an emotional one as it was Senior Night for the Wellsville Lions girls’ tennis team and a 5-0 victory over Alfred-Almond to improve to 12-1 on the season with one game to go.
This is a program that won a Section V title in 2022 and 2023, so cracking that starting lineup is not easy.
Wellsville coach Billy Stives, who won the first title in school history in 2012, had five seniors to honor and between getting the night perfect and preparing for another run at a Section V title, he didn’t even notice the career marks.
“Samantha, Hanna and Caitlin each got their 50th victory tonight. I didn’t realize it until I was getting stats together for Senior Night to recognize them,” Stives said. “They all did this in a four-year span. It was really special that it happened in the same exact match, which just happened to be our last home match of the regular season. I am very impressed with this milestone they reached. Also, this group of five seniors have helped our team win a couple of championships. Not to mention, they have represented us in the state qualifiers after placing in the tournament. Samantha also has a Section V singles title.”
The five major ingredients of their championship-winning formula — Bidzerkowny, Miles, Bittel, McKenna Wonderling and Shayla Cowan were honored pre-game.
The two-time defending Class B2 champions assembled one more dynamic performance on their home court during the regular season.
Bidzerkowny and Miles helped lead the way for the Lady Lions (12-1) in the singles department, as they each collected their 50th career win in straight-set fashion, with Bidzerkowny going on to claim a 6-1, 6-2 win over Alfred-Almond’s Beatrice Beaudry at first singles, while Miles swooped in for a 6-2, 6-0 win over Eleanor Drozeski at second singles.
Peyton Cawley rounded off with a 6-1, 6-2 win of her own at third singles over Rose Schreiber.
Wellsville continued their winning ways with both doubles wins in addition, as Bittel scored her 50th career win alongside her longtime first doubles partner, Sarah Mattison, as they collected a 6-0, 6-1 win over Allegra Bordeaux and Izzie Willard. At second doubles, seniors Wonderling and Cowan went out in style with a stellar 6-0, 6-2 win over Ezi Backer and Layla Shelley.
On Friday, the Lady Lions will finish out their regular season slate with a 5 p.m. visit to Wayland-Cohocton. Immediately after on Saturday, the Section V Individual Tournament will officially commence at Canandaigua.
Singles
1. Samantha Bidzerkowny (WLSV) def. Beatrice Beaudry (A-A), 6-1, 6-2.
2. Hanna Miles (WLSV) def. Eleanor Drozeski (A-A), 6-2, 6-0.
3. Peyton Cawley (WLSV) def. Rose Schreiber (A-A), 6-1, 6-2.
Doubles
1. Caitlin Bittel/Sarah Mattison (WLSV) def. Allegra Bordeaux/Izzie Willard (A-A), 6-0, 6-1.
2. McKenna Wonderling/Shayla Cowan (WLSV) def. Ezi Backer/Layla Shelley (A-A), 6-0, 6-2.
(Additional reporting by Chris Brooks)
