Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
NANCY MORGANState titles are on the line for adult teams this weekend. Youth squads recently completed their quest.
The adults travel to Daytona Beach today to begin a three-day competition in the USA Adult League Championships. Youth squads played in the USA Team Tennis Championships in Lakeland. The reward for both is an opportunity to participate in postseason action.
Prepared for this weekend's challenge are four local teams that won their respective leagues and captured West Regional crowns last month. The regional champs are the PGTA 4.0 women based at Safety Harbor Spa, McMullen 4.5 women in Clearwater, PGTA 4.5 men and Seminole Lake Tennis Center 4.0 men.
There are two other squads that will play at state. Treasure Island Tennis and Yacht Club's 5.5 men are joined by Lansbrook YMCA's 5.5 men. All of the teams will be in round-robin action with three other regional winners.
"We have cautious optimism," Seminole captain Red McGarry said. "We lost our No.1 singles player, Steve Phillips, due to disqualification, but we have some others that can step in. We also have four good doubles teams to rely on."
Palm Harbor's Scott Chambers plays No.1 doubles for Seminole with Dave Heeder.
"We're a pretty strong team," Chambers said. "But at state, we're facing the three other regional winners and the gap closes quite a bit."
State winners advance to nationals in October.
In last month's USA Teamstate championships for youth squads, six groups qualified for advanced competition.
The North Pinellas Punishers 14-and-under Stars finished first in their division, as did the Team Thomas 12-and-under Stripes. Taking second was the South Pinellas TB Bombers 14-and-under Stripes. The South Pinellas Storm Chasers 12-and-under Stars were third, along with the Team Thomas 14-and-under Stars. The North Pinellas Terminators 14-and-under Stars placed fifth.
"I am really proud of the athletic ability of this team and how hard they worked all summer," Terminator coach Nancy Barnes said.
Playing for Barnes on the coed squad are Kelly Boudreau, Amy Oelschlaeger, Lee Mac Sweeney, Natasha Rick, Steve Bennett and Steve Whalen. Connie Bennett was the volunteer captain.
The Punishers were in a 25-team division. Teaching pro Greg Houck directed Ronnie Lopez, Gabby Houck, Sarah Wisotsky, Ariana Zayac, Peter Barr and Brian Szeto to a berth in October's USA Team regional championships in Daytona Beach. The Bombers will join the Punishers in the event.
Coach Mike Herrock's Team Thomas Stripes were undefeated at state on the play of Racquel Hylton, Erin and Tyler Snook, Laura Ospina, Alex Fisch and Matt Herrock.
The Team Thomas 14 squad, coached by Greg Fisch, consists of Justin Fisch, Andrew Sine, Ricky Rodriguez, Marcus Ericcson, Samantha Smith, Gabby Ospina and Heather Golub.
The Terminators, Storm Chasers and both Team Thomas squads qualified for October's Georgia-Florida Team Tennis Challenge in Jacksonville.
JUNIORS: Top-seeded Rebecca Bodine reached the girls 10-and-under final before falling in straight sets to the No.2 seed in the North Florida Junior Designated in Tallahassee. Third-place finishes were produced by No.3 Danielle Collins (girls 10) and No.4 Monica Sly (18). Taking fourth were girls 14 No.3 player Lindsay Dvorak, girls 12 Kara Kucin and boys 16 No.3 Nicholas Berning. Joel Samaha, No.5, made it to a boys 14 semifinal before losing in three sets to the third-seeded competitor.
NET SHOTS: Joshua Miller reached a semifinal in the boys 14 competition of the Hunter's Green Rookie 2 contest in Tampa. He lost a 9-7 proset to Wesley Chapel's Nicholas Moore.
In last weekend's Tampa Bay Junior Championships at Tampa Tennis Complex, No.3 Lauren Saltiel won the girls 16 singles title. Her brother, Alexander, No.1, was tops on the boys side. Other champs were girls 18 No.2 player Anastasiya Sokolova, girls 12 No.2 Bodine, girls 10 Agathy Ambrozy and boys No.1 Stephen Segura. In the boys 12 division, Garrett Betsarakis qualified for the semifinals, as did No.2 Philip Barlow in the 16 class and Peter Barr in 14. Winning a consolation draw was Molly Smith.
Capturing a singles title in the Summer Classic Too at Safety Harbor Spa was Daichi Murata (boys 18). Sokolova, No.2, played to the girls 18 final before falling in straight sets. Winning a consolation draw were Ashley Eville (girls 18) and No.2 Lincoln Lagasi (boys 12).
Rafeal Kucharski was an open finalist in the Adult Summer Bash.