Leigh Anne – Chapter 27
By Barbara Lynn Terry

(Author’s Note:) I had a complaint about listing the lineups for each school. How is the reader supposed to follow the tournament, if they don’t who is playing and from what school? I realize that I cannot please everyone. But, the lineups are important. Thank you all for reading and commenting. Barbara.)

Chapter 1 – The tournament continues.

The Hampton Lady Tigers were seated in such a way that they could see all four courts. This is why Leigh could study each school’s weaknesses. The next eight schools took their respective courts. Leigh was going to watch these games. She wanted to know how to defeat the winners that the Lady Tigers had to play.

Each player who lost the game, had to retire to an ante room. They would play another game against the school they played earlier. The school was still in the running, and each player in each school would get a chance to play.

The second eight schools to play are: Worthington Senior High School of Cheboygan; Tempest Senior High School from of Alpena; Thomas E. Severns Senior High School of Atlanta; Morris E. Thompson Senior High School of Rogers City; Donald F. Carpenter Senior High School of Ossineke, Thomas Moore Senior High School of Gaylord; Meryl Stickney Senior High School of Harrisville; and James Fielding Senior High Sxhool.

The Worthington Senior High lineup is: Janet Severenson; Mildred (Millie) Adams; Elizabeth Iverson; Cora Wheatley; Dawn Iverson; Nanette (Nettie) Donaldson; Janelle Crosby; Susan Hinckley. These eight ladies will face off against Donald F. Carpenter Senior High.

The Donald F. Carpenter Senior High lineup is: Joan Barkley; Wilma Adams; Cora Southworth; Sondra Buckley; Aileen Schneider; Doris Roderick; Genevieve Scott; Rickie Addelson.

Janet Severenson and Sondra Buckley took their respective sides of court 6. Because of an earlier coin toss, it was Janet’s serve.

Janet served her first ball high, hoping that Sondra wouldn’t be able to return it. Sondra, however, returned the ball low. Janet Rushed to return the ball. She was successful. Janet chipped the ball, and it went over the net, just barely. Sondra was not fast enough to return it. This made the score 15 – Love.

Janet served her next ball. Sondra, anticipating where it was going to land, backed up to return it. This volley also lasted several minutes. The volley was over when Sondra attempted a sliced return. But, Janet was at the net and slammed the ball at Sondra’s left foot. This made the score 30 – Love.

The next serve Janet made was an ace. The score was now 40 – Love. This was triple game point for Janet, if she scored on her next serve. Janet threw the ball up and hit it high, like she did on her first serve. When Janet hit the ball and landed on Sondra’s side, it bounced in such a way that Sondra could not return it.

“Game, Worthington,” Bobbie Sax called.

Janet and Sondra switched sides. It was now Sondra’s serve. Sondra threw the ball up, then jumped up to meet it. She hit the ball hard and fast. Janet saw what Sonfra was doing, and prepared herself to return the ball.

Janet returned the ball and it landed just inside Sondra’s right hand side corner. The score was now Love - 15.

Sondra’s next serve was a slice. However, Janet returned it back to Sondra. These two ladies were playing a game that was getting the ball closer to the net. When they were as close to the net as possible, Sonotionaldra tried a slam, but it hit Janet’s racquet and Janet slammed the ball past Sondra. The score was now Love – 30. Sondra was getting very emotional because she was behind two serves. It looked like Sondra hit her next ball blindly, because she hit it in to the net.

“Fault,” called line judge Hermione Baddeley (no relation to the British actress).

Sondra served again, but hit the ball so hard it was called out by the chair judge, Bobbie Sax. The score was now Love – 40. If Sondra loses this game, she will have to go to the ante room until all her team mates have played. This was now triple game point for Janet, if she scored.

Sondra served again, and this volley lasted for about five minutes, when Sondra hit the ball in to her side of the net.

“Game, Worthington,” Bobbie Sax called from the chair.

Sondra left for the ante room set up for the players. Janet went and sat down by the rest of the squad.

The Tempest Senior High lineup is: Gloria Swanson (no relation to the film star); Debbie Ashton; Connie Stevenson; Georgia Fox; Carol Ormand; Joanie Collins; Soleil Dempsey; Margot Kidder (no relation to the actress). These eight ladies will face off against Morris E. Thompson Senior High on court 6.

The Morris E. Thompson Senior High lineup is: Allison Kramer; Joan Muldur; Amy Schwartz; Constance Evans; Gem Fielding; Ruby Connors; June Carter Spitz; and Amy Altenberg.

Amy Schwartz and Carol Ormand took the court. It was Carol’s serve. Carol hit the ball hard and fast, but, Amy returned it. This led to a volley lasting several minutes. This volley ended when Amy hit the ball in to her side of the net. The score was 15 – Love. Carol served again for an ace. The score was at 30 – Love.

Carol served again, and Amy returned it, but Carol tried a chip shot, and she was successful. The score became 40 – Love. On Carol’s next servem she attempted a slice, but Amy returned it. Amy, in an attempt to return Carol’s next serve, made an unforced error, and hit the ball in to her side of the net.

“Game, Tempest,” Bobbie Sax Called.

All of a sudden, there was activity at the entrance to the tournament area. Oh boy! The Gaynor Lady Cougars showed up in their tennis outfits, ready to play. The squad was complete as the coach replaced the missing players. They stopped at the check in table and announced themselves. The lady at the table told the coach that their school was not on the roster. Gaynor just never seems to learn.

The Gaynor coach began raising her voice.

“What do you mean, we’re not on the roster! You had better put us on that roster. Right now!” Gaynor’s coach screamed at the woman. Gloria Evers, the check in person, flipped a switch on her console and spoke in to the microphone.

“Security to the tournament area. Security to the tournament area, and call the police.”

“The po (sigh), you’re calling the police on us! That is ridiculous. If you are calling the police on us, then you better call them for that squad sitting over there,” she said, pointing to Tempest Senior High School. The Gaynor coach was so enraged, she didn’t even realize what squad she was pointing at. Security showed up almost immediately. The police came ten minutes later.

John Hendricks, senior security officer wanted to know what the trouble was. Gloria spoke to John.

“John, these ladies are the Gaynor Senior High School Lady Cougars. They insist, rather loudly, that they be placed on the roster. They aren’t on the roster.”

“I see,” John responded. “So, if your school isn’t on the roster, what are you doing here?”

“We have as much right to be here, as does the Hampton Senior High Lady Tigers do. They have a boy masquerading as a girl, just to play in this tournament. Robert Davison, the university athletic director, Debbie Constantine and the university chancellor approached the table at the same time as the police. Debbie Constantine spoke to the assembled crowd.

“Officers, this school, and this squad in particular, is under investigation by MHSAA. Gaynor Senior High School is also under investigation by the state board of education.”

“They’re telling us that there is a tennis squad that has a boy masquerading as a girl, just to get in this tournament,” John Hendricks told Debbie.

“That is not correct. Every person on the squad they have mentioned, are genetic females. This squad here, lost their bid to play in this tournament, fair and square. They are just angry because they lost. Several parents of Gaynor students are in jail because they have attempted to steal the regional tournament trophy. That trophy is in the safe keeping of the Midland police department.”

“You fucking liar, bitch. That trophy is rightfully ours, and we want it back.”

“See what I mean, officers. They just don’t learn. They think that everything they do is right, and everyone else is wrong. They do not belong here.”

“Ladies, I am afraid you will have to leave,” Lansing police officer Robert Svenson told the Gaynor group. The Gaynor coach immediately slapped officer Svenson in the face. She was immediately handcuffed and arrested for assaulting a police officer, which is a felony in the state of Michigan. The Gaynor squad was led out of the building.

The Hampton Lady Tigers began singing “When will they ever learn, oh, when will they, ever learn,” from the song Where Have All The Flowers Gone, by Peter, Paul & Mary. One of the Lady Cougars just glowered at the Lady Tigers, upon which Leigh just scrunched up her face and stuck her tongue out.

The entire Lady Tiger squad giggled and went back to watching the tournament. Leigh had mentally noted the mistakes each team was making. Not just the ones who lost the game, but even the winners. Leigh thought to herself that if this keeps up, state will belong to the Hampton Lady Tigers.

Carol and Amy switched sides of the court. It was Amy’s serve. Amy threw up the ball and hit it at a downward angle. A fault was called, and Amy served again. This time the ball landed in the center of the play area. Carol returned the ball and this volley lasted six minutes. These girls were playing for that state trophy. So they were out for blood, so to speak. But, even though each school wanted the state trophy, they wanted it without cheating.

The score was Love – 15. Amy served again, and this time she was able to get an ace. The score is tied at 15. Amy’s next serve was returned and they volleyed back and forth for eight minutes. Carol finally hit the ball in to her side of the net. It was now 30 – 15. When Amy served again, she hit the ball hard and fast for another ace. The score went to 40 – 15 in Amy’s favor. This was Amy’s triple game point. Amy’s next serve went right past Carol.

“Game, Thompson,” Bobbie Sax called.

Carol and Amy switched sides of the court, again. It was Carol’s serve. Carol tossed the ball up, and jumped up to hit it as it came down. This landed hard on Amy’s side of the court. Carol was credited with an ace.

The score was now 15 – Love. It is usually correct to say that servers win their game; mostly.

Carol served again. This time, Amy returned it. The volley went for several minutes. The volley ended when Amy slammed the ball in to Carol’s side of the court for the score. It was now tied at 15. Carol served her third ballm which went under Amy’s racquet for an ace. That made the score 30 – 15.

With Carol’s next serve, she slammed it for an ace. It was now 40 - 15. Carol had a double game point, if she scored. With her next serve, Amy returned it, but when Carol hit it back to Amy, Amy hit it in to her side of the net.

“Game, set, match, Tempest,” Bobbie Sax called from the chair.

Carol had won the second match of the tournament. Amy had to go to the ante room. There she could watch the tournament, until her school had all played.

The two schools playing on court 7, are: Thomas Moore Senior High and Meryl Stickney Senior High. The Thomas Moore Senior High lineup is:

Cora Mayfield, Soliel Ingram, Miley Cochran, Jennifer Gibbs, Maria Sanchez, Nora Cross, Mae Alstairs, and Mary Whitfield.

The Meryl Stickney Senior High lineup is: Jennifer Strom, Gloria Whitt, Alice Cumberland, Jean d’Arc Mays, Wilma Cuthbert, Spring Byington (no relation to the actress), Joan Williams, and Joanne Drummond.

Mae Alstairs is facing off against Joan Williams. It is Joan’s serve, and the score is 30 – 15.

Joan served her next ball but was called as a fault. Joan served again, and the volley lasted for about five minutes. The volley ended when Joan hit the ball too hard, and it went out of bounds. The scored was tied at 30. When Joan served her next ball, she got an ace.

“40 – 30,” Bobbie Sax called.

Joan served again, but chipped the ball. Mae could not return it.

“Game, Stickney,” Bobbie Sax called.

Joan and Mae switched sides of the court. It was Mae’s serve. Mae tossed the ball up, but not too high. She slammed toward Joan, who backed up to return it. This surprised Mae. The volley lasted and lasted and lasted. Finally, Mae hit the ball in to her side of the net.

“Love – 15,” was called by Bobbie Sax.

Mae served again, but it was called out. She served her next ball, and it too was called out.

“Love – 30,” Bobbie Sax called without emotion.

Ot seemed to Leigh that Mae was getting overly emotional because of her unforced errors.

“Mae served her next ball, and it went in to her side of the net. This ball was called as a fault. Mae served again, and the volley lasted for just a tad over three minutes. Mae had made another unforced error by hitting the ball in to the net.

“Love – 40,” was called by the chair.

Joan returned Mae’s next serve, but Mae was too slow to get to it.

“Game, set, match, Stickney,” Bobbie Sax called with finality. Joan looked at Leigh. Joan took a tennis ball and hit it at Leigh. Leigh caught the ball, and went over to Joan.

“Ms. Sax, Joan Williams challenged me, when she hit a tennis ball at me, as though she were playing a match. I accept the challenge.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, competitors. It seems we have a challenge on the court. Joan Williams from Stickney Senior High has challenged Leigh Anne Smythe of Hampton Senior High. Should Ms. Williams lose this match, she will have to retire to the ante room. The same goes for Ms. Smythe. Ladies, take your court sides.”

Leigh took the side farthest from the chair judge.

“I will now toss the coin. Pick heads or tails, Joan.”

“I pick heads, Ms. Sax.”

When the coin landed on the floor, it came up heads.

“It is Ms. Williams serve,” Bobbie Sax announced.

Joan served her first ball. Leigh returned it with a slice. Joan ran to the net to return it, but it hit the top of the net and bounced back.

“Love – 15,” called Bobbie Sax.

Bobbie Sax was thinking that Joan tried just a tad to much to return that first ball. Joan served again. Leigh saw the ball coming at her, and backed up to return it. Joan sent it back to Leigh, who saw it coming to the top of the net. She ran to return, but Leigh chipped the ball. Joan was not fast enough to return the ball.

“Love – 30,” Bobbie Sac called.

Joan served her next ball, but Lrigh returned it. This volley lasted until Joan hit the ball so hard, it just sailed past Leigh without touching Leigh’s side of the court.

“Love – 40,” Bobbie Sax called. This was now Leigh’s triple game point.

Joan served again. Leigh was playing the center line. She had to back to return Joan’s serve. Leigh slammed the ball so hard, that it bounced once, then went over Joan’s racquet.

“Game, Hampton,” Ms. Sax had called.

The two young ladies switched court sides. It was Leigh’s serve.

Leigh tossed up the ball, then jumped to slam it to Joan. Joan acting afraid the ball was going to hit her, backed away, and the ball bounced right past her.

“15 – Love,” said Bobbie Sax.

Leigh tossed up the ball, and when it came down, she chipped it. The ball looked like it was going to hit the net. A split second later, the ball cleared the net, just barely. Joan was at the net, but missed returning the ball.

“30 – Love,” Bobbie Sax called.

Leigh served again, and it was headed toward Joan at a fast rate. Joan jumped out of the way like the ball was a snake. Leigh was mentally saying to herself, “stae is ours”.

“40 – Love,” Ms. Sax called, enthusiastically.

Leigh now had triple set point. She served again for an ace.

“Game, set, match, Hampton,” Bobbie Sax had called.

Leigh won the the match. She mentally told herself, maybe there won’t be any more challenges. She hoped. When she sat down by her squad, she told them what she did in that match and how. This is the real reason the Lady Tigers wanted Leigh on their team.

The Lady Tigers had no idea when they asked Leigh to substitute for Janey, who was still out with a sprained elbow, that it would be discovered that Leigh was genetically female. Leigh has been examined, reexamined, and examined again, to show that she is female.

Gaynor Senior High School’s tennis squad was jealous of Leigh’s talents in tennis. This is why they were so angry that Hampton’s squad had won their regional championship. But, Gaynor will never quit trying to steal the regional trophy. They never learn.

The next two schools to play are, Thomas E. Severns Senior High facing off against James Fielding Senior High.

The lineup for Thomas E. Severns Senior High is: Mary Colbert, Jennifer Quimbly, Lois Eldridge, Connie Arendt, Cora Swift, Ida Quimbly, Antoinette Rogers, and Lois Hardy.

The James Fielding lineup is: Lois Granger, Joanna Barnes (no relation to the ‘60’s actress), Ginger Edelston, Naomi Frye, Brenda Ekberg, Jennifer Michelson, Janey Freitag, Anita Wilde, and Debbie Olsen.

Jennifer Quimbly will play against Jennifer Michelson. It was Jennifer Quimbly’s serve.

To start the match, Ms. Quimbly tossed the ball up, and hit toward Ms. Michelson. Ms. Michelson returned the ball with just enough force to put the ball slightly over the net. Ms. Quimbly ran to return the ball, and Ms. Michelson had to back up to return it.

When the ball was returned, it hit the top of the bet and dropped onto Ms. Quinbly’s side.

“Love – 15,” the chair called.

Ms. Quimbly served again, but it was called as a fault. She served her second ball, and this time, Ms. Michelson returned it with a force that Ms. Qimbly could not return it.

“Love – 30,” Ms. Sax called.

Ms. Quimbly served again, but it was called out. Ms. Quimbly served her second ball, but it hit the net.

“Love – 40,” Bobbie Sax called. It was now Ms. Michelson’s triple game point. All she had to do was get the next point. Ms. Quinbly served again, but, it was hit out. She served her second ball, but it hit the net.
“
Game, Fielding,” Ms. Sax called. It was now Jennifer Michelson’s serve. The two competitors switched court sides.

Jennifer Michelson tossed the ball up, but not too high. She then lobbed it over the net. Jennifer Quimbly could not return it. Ms. Michelson served, and the ball was aimed at Ms. Quimbly’s far right hand corner. Ms. Quimbly rushed to return it, but she hit ball high and Ms. Micjelson lobbed it to her opponent’s far left hand side. It was not returned.

“15 – Love,” the score was called.

Ms. Michelson served again, and hit an ace.

“30 – Love,” Ms. Sax called.

The next serve was also an ace.

“40 – Love,” the chair umpire, Bobbie Sax called.

This was now Jennifer Michelson’s triple natch point. She tossed the ball up, then slammed it over the net. Jennifer Quimbly jumped out of the way.

“Game, set, match, Fielding,” Bobbie Sax called. “It is seven o’clock, we will resume round one tomorrow morning at seven o’clock. Have a good night, ladies.”

Next chapter: The Lady Tigers discuss the events of the day and what Leigh in the challenged match. The tournament contimues.