Players take shot at collecting state points

Area juniors competed to earn points for state rankings last weekend.

Local clubs played host to the statewide singles events for five age divisions, 18-and-under to 10 for girls and boys.

"The quality of play was excellent," said John Haggar, director of the Tournament Players Academy at the Racquet Club of St. Petersburg and host of the boys 12 competition. "The matches were quite competitive, even for this young age."

Among the boys 12 players in the 64 draw were Tierra Verde's Nicholas Smith, Largo's Keegan Smith and Treasure Island's Michael Kopelman. Second-seeded Jeff Morris of Fort Lauderdale upset No. 1 Rashaad Williams, West Palm Beach, in a three-set match.

Fifth-seeded Morgan Basil, who trains with Haggar, advanced to the semifinal round in the girls 10 class at Royal Racquet Club. After falling to the second seed, Basil finished fourth. Other local girls in the 32 draw were Kara Kucin, Belleair; and Melissa and Molly Smith, Tierra Verde.

Royal had the boys 10 competition, which included St. Petersburg's Garrett Betsarakis, Largo's Austin Kondor, Clearwater's Kyle Kunnen and St. Pete Beach's Anthony Barrancotto. Fourth-seeded Kunnen, after losing to the No. 2 player, entered a third-place playoff with Wesley Chapel's Tyler Brown.

Hosting girls 12 was McMullen Tennis Complex of Clearwater. The 64 players included Seminole's Alexandria Cercone, St. Petersburg's Lindsay Dvorak, and Oldsmar's Karly Gilchrist, Tara Vafadari and Morgan Frank. The fifth-seeded Frank reached the quarterfinal before falling in three sets to the No. 4 player.

Sonny Kennedy, Nicholas Berning and Kevin Kunnen competed at Bardmoor Golf and Tennis Club in boys 14. Amanda Yogus, Christinia Liles, Ashley Hungerford and Lauren Saltiel were in girls 14 at Seminole Lake Tennis Center. Liles, seeded 14th, made it to the round of 16.

The 16 and 18 divisions competed in Lakeland and Tampa, respectively, and included Bugsy Bauer, Monica Sly, George Navas, Ryan Buchanan, Erin Heeder, Jennifer Dent, Kaela Kennedy, Desiree Collins, Karen Floyd, Marc Sawyer, Dmitry Bubis, Brandon Pierpont, Goran Dragicevic and Haley Dodson. Navas and Heeder played to the quarterfinals. Dent reached the round of 16, and Dragicevic was third.

SENIORS: Second-seeded Bob Meyerdierks and Jim Mackey upset the top team to earn the USTA National Indoor 75 Doubles championship in Houston. Meyerdierks advanced to the round of 16 in the 75 singles.

Meyerdierks and Mackey defended their top seed in the Naples Super Senior Tournament. Meyerdierks played to the 75 singles semifinal round.

Also in Naples were Dave Krebs, a finalist in the 65 division; Ed Hamilton, a round of 16 player in 60; and Gene Crouse, formerly of Largo now in Bradenton, a finalist in the 55 consolation.

Bob Allen and Lou Lange advanced to the 75 doubles final in the Super Senior Clay Court Championships. SUNCOAST SINGLES: Vinoy II opened the second session of the program's B League with a 4-0 win over St. Petersburg Country Club. Posting the victories were Marion Foelgner, Kim Brett, Sharon Keegan and Jayma Main.

LEAGUE UPDATE: The doubles teams of Deborah Van Brunt and Jane Gordon and Terry Hubener and Marilyn Quackenbush scored two points for the Feather Sound Country Club 3.5 senior women's squad, helping defeat East Lake Woodlands last weekend.

Margie Scheidt and Cynthia Apter recorded Treasure Island Tennis and Yacht Club's only point against Innisbrook, and Valerie Harris and Pat Zelinski earned Bardmoor's lone point against Timber Pines Tennis Club. In senior men's 3.5 south division doubles, the Racquet Club defeated the Vinoy 3-0 on the play of Nick Pavonetti and Larry Sewall, Gary Elliott and David Farnsworth, and Newton Rogers and Marty Normile. In the central division, Tony Damouny and Steve Uebel and Ray Cianci and David Lesser accounted for two Racquet Club wins over Royal Racquet Club.

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