Fisher, Sierka represent girls tennis team in WPIAL singles

Both go 1-1 in the tournament

Hawk Eye Staff

September 20, 2023

Lily Sierka warms up before her match against West Allegheny on Aug. 30.

The BPHS tennis courts were abuzz with tennis players for the WPIAL singles championships on Wednesday afternoon.

Freshman Cami Fisher and senior Lily Sierka represented Bethel Park.

In the first round, both girls won their respective matches.

Fisher, the No. 6 seed, handled Michelle Yan, the No. 11 seed, from Franklin Regional 10-1. She went on to play the No. 3 seed Meriwether McCargo of Shadyside Academy in Round 2. Fisher dropped a hard-fought match 10-8. McCargo then advanced to the finals after conquering the No. 2 seed in the semis.

No. 9-seed Sierka defeated No. 8-seed Gabrielle Modor of Baldwin 10-5. That set her up for a second-round matchup with the top-seeded Amelia Williams of Penn Trafford. Williams bested Sierka 10-3. Williams went on to win her next match and advance to the finals.

Next up for Fisher and Sierka is when they join their teammates for a match at Peters Township on Monday followed by another match at Chartiers Valley on Tuesday.

Action on the BPHS tennis courts resumes on Wednesday, Sept. 27 with section doubles.

About the Contributor

Alea Taylor, Staff Writer

Senior Alea Taylor is excited to take on her last year of high school, and her first year in Scholastic Publications. Besides journalism, Alea is also involved in Bethettes, musicals, and fall play. Her favorite memory of Bethettes is, “Going to squad dinners, specifically a Harry Potter-themed dinner I had last year.” Alea is a musical star, who played Morticia Addams in the school's musical last year. “It was really nice to play a character who was super known worldwide, it was iconic to play. She’s so funny and deadpan, and also empowering,” she said. Besides playing Morticia, Alea has been in several other musicals. Starting with "Grease," she was a cheerleader and featured dancer. In "Elf Jr.," played Charlotte Dennon. In the show "Mary Poppins Jr.," she was a part of the Jolly Holiday Trio. In "Frozen Jr.," Alea played Snowflake #1 and also was a featured dancer. In "Cinderella," Alea played Madame. Alea also is a part of the fall play club. When asked about her feelings toward the club, Alea said, “Fall Play is my favorite extracurricular activity because the cast is so small that it becomes so intimate and you really get to become part of a family when you do it.” She played Violet in "A Charlie Brown Christmas," which took place in the spring due to Covid-19. Alea played Rheba in “You Can’t Take It With You,” and last fall she played Vivian in "The Last Christmas Radio Show." Alea just auditioned for her final BPHS fall play production. “I used to be really nervous and have a lot of anxiety when I talked to people, so getting on stage, and talking in front of people felt impossible. Eventually, I just decided whatever the outcome is, I am just going to have fun with it, and make memories, so no matter what the outcome was, I would have great memories. That’s how I got my first lead role.” Besides being involved in extracurricular activities, Alea is committed to Slippery Rock University. She is going to be studying elementary education, and special education, as well as minoring in theater arts. She decided to go to Slippery Rock because she loved the campus and the programs they offered. She also loves that they put over $6 million into their theater department. Alea’s favorite class is choir because all of her friends are in her class. If Alea could be any animal, she sees herself being a duck. “The way they walk and the vibe, they are also my favorite animals, and I relate to them on a spiritual level,” Alea said when asked why. Alea’s favorite color is red. “It’s my power color,” she claims. Her favorite features that she has are her smile, hair, and her personality. “I used to not like any parts of myself, but now I love so many parts of myself.” Alea plans on working on the social media aspect of journalism the most. She loves to create videos and take pictures, as she has a natural talent for photography. Written by: Camryn Priddy, Staff Writer