Girls Tennis: Oswego freshman Savannah Millard, second at sectionals, becomes school’s first state qualifier since 2009

Savannah Millard won’t soon forget the phone call to her “Ga.”

That is the name that Millard, an Oswego freshman, calls her grandmother. It was her “Ga” and her grandfather “Papa” that first got Millard into tennis 4-5 years ago. So the call to them last Friday with the news that Millard had qualified for state was a special one.

“I remember Ga called me and she was crying knowing how hard I fought,” Millard said. “I wouldn’t be in this situation if it wasn’t for her. From the start she has been one of my biggest cheerleaders. Ga and Papa have been there since Day 1. They got me into tennis. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them.”

Millard, after leading Oswego to second place at the Southwest Prairie Conference meet two weeks ago, took second place at the Class 2A Benet Sectional. The top four advance to this weekend’s state meet. Millard is the first Oswego state qualifier since Breanne Vergonet in 2009.

“I’m just excited to be there, honestly,” Millard said. “It’s crazy to me all the people who have supported me. All my family members, especially my dad, always had competition with him. My mom drove me everywhere. I couldn’t do it without them. All the girls on my team for supporting me and my coach for always telling me to keep fighting.”

Millard needed that fight and grit to get through a grueling day last Friday.

She first had to resume a suspended quarterfinal match with Metea Valley’s third-seeded Sangita Silva at 8 a.m., which Millard won 6-3, 6-2 to qualify for state. Then, in the semifinal with Wheaton Warrenville South’s second-seeded Brooke Ittersagen, the DuKane Conference singles champion, sixth-seeded Millard pulled off a 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (4) upset in a marathon match.

“I just kept telling myself to push myself and keep going,” Millard said. “I know what I can do, and what I’ve trained to do. I just remembered what my dad used to always say, ‘MTXE,’ mental toughness extra effort. It was definitely a long day and a strong fight.”

Millard went on to lose to Naperville Central’s top-seeded Sofia Olaru 6-1, 6-1 in the final in her third match of the day, which hardly took away from the satisfaction of reaching state.

“That match to get to the final, I think Savannah just kept very calm,” Oswego coach Christine Kueker said. “We talked a lot about those moments, there is a lot of power happening on the court, but to stop and take a breath. It’s that mental piece of not trying to rush things and blocking out the noise. She did a really good job of that.”

Millard is the third sibling to make her presence felt in athletics at Oswego. Her older brother, Dayne, starred at middle linebacker for Oswego’s football team. Middle brother Austin was a multiple times state qualifier in swimming.

Savannah Millard started in tennis 4-5 years ago, taking lessons at Eola Tennis Center.

“It’s a little bit nerve racking I’ll say, getting ready for state, but I feel prepared for what’s to come, seeing my brothers grow up and do what they did,” Millard said.

Millard takes a 22-8 record into state. She also took second in tournaments at Lincoln-Way East and Jacobs, and at conference.

“She has great height and power, and the style of play she does, she is aggressive and she is not afraid to take chances,” Kueker said. “She has a lot of power in her strokes and a great mindset. She’s been such a vital part of our team and she only has room to grow.”