Girls’ Tennis leaves their mark on school history

By Ray Popkess

The 2025 IHSA Girls’ Tennis Tournament took place over the past weekend and Triad’s own Averi Moore, Hailey D’Aunoy and Katie Watts etched their names in the Knights’ history books.

On day one of the singles action, London Looby picked up a win in the opening round of the backdraw or consolation bracket. Moore won her first match against her opponent from Flora but fell in her second match.

From there, Looby battled in her second backdraw match against the #13 seeded player from Marian, but ultimately fell in three sets, 6-4, 4-6, 10-5.

Moore rattled off four straight victories in the consolation bracket, finishing in the top 16 amongst all competitors. Her ninth place finish at state is tied for the highest finish ever in the State Singles Tournament by a boy or girl in school history.

D’Aunoy and Watts opened their tournament with a first and second round win, but fell in the third round to the #3 seeded duo from Marian, 6-3, 6-7, 6-4. They claimed victory in the fourth and fifth rounds of the backdraw. They then faced the would-be fifth place-finishing tandem from Lake Forest in the consolation quarterfinals, but fell in a close match, 7-5, 6-4.

D’Aunoy and Watts’ ninth place finish was also good enough to tie the highest finish by a duo in Girls’ Tennis history at Triad.