Independent photos/Steve James
MIDDLEBURY — When senior adults competed in the state championship singles and doubles tennis tournament this weekend in Middlebury, Addison County players Victoria Luksch of Middlebury and Ken Schoen of Lincoln both came away with two gold medals each.
And Schoen won one of his titles with another Addison County athlete — the mixed doubles gold with Maureen Carn of Leicester.
The Vermont Senior Games Association (VSGA) hosted the tournament July 18 and 19 on the new courts at Middlebury College. Athletes aged 50 and older had an opportunity to qualify for the National Senior Games in Tulsa, Okla., next summer.
In all, 71 athletes took part in the tournament, which saw some ferocious battles but was hampered a bit by rain on Saturday afternoon.
Luksch, 58, and Schoen,75, won their first titles on Saturday in singles competitions. The Middlebury athlete won the women’s age 55 – 59 title with a 1–1 record of play. The Lincoln player aced the men’s 75-79 division by winning 17 games (the men’s singles competition was halted by rain and the medals were awarded based on their success rate in matches completed.)
Independent photo/Steve James
Also in men’s singles, Bryan Grundon, a Lincoln 59-year-old, won a head-to-head tie breaker to claim fifth place in the 55–59 division.
In competition on Sunday Luksch teamed up with Jeanne Blackmore of Charlotte to post a perfect 3-0 record in women’s doubles to with a gold in the 55-59 division. Carn, too, was busy on Sunday. That’s when she teamed up with Schoen to win the mixed doubles, 70 – 74 division. Earlier in the day, Carn played with Andrea Torello of Burlington to earn the silver in women’s doubles, 70-74 division.
And Luksch was not finished with her women’s doubles title, she joined with Grundon to claim the mixed doubles, 55-59 division silver medal on Sunday, as well. For his part, Grundon teamed up with Dave Masefield of Middlebury to earn the bronze in the men’s doubles, 55-59 division.
Another local player making good was Franz Collas, the director of tennis at Middlebury Indoor Tennis and a Vergennes resident. He joined with Steve Luhr of Shelburne to grab the silver medal in the men’s doubles, 60-64 division.
The VSGA will hold its seniors golf tournament and scramble at the Ralph Myhre course in Middlebury on Monday, Aug. 3.
Independent photo/Steve James
