ZEPHYRHILLS - Hernando played almost flawlessly in winning its third consecutive district championship.
The Leopards, who entered the Class 2A, District 8 tournament at Zephyr Park with wins over their six district rivals, netted 20 of 21 points Tuesday in winning every match but No. 1 singles.
Hudson's Juan Castaneda prevented the sweep by defeating Brent Lowman 6-4, 6-2 for his second district title.
"I feel our level of play in the district has dropped all the way around," Hernando coach Brett Teitelman said. "It's just the cycle right now. But it's definitely exciting winning three in a row."
After Lowman's loss, the senior-laden Leopards (13-6) won the next six matches. Daniel Widboom, Hernando's lone junior, defeated Wesley Chapel's J.V. Nicholas 6-4, 6-0 in No. 3 singles.
Wesley Chapel and Hudson had finalists in all but No. 2 singles. In the match, Hernando's Drew Taylor bested Keoki Funez of Zephyrhills, 6-1, 6-3.
Michael Ehlenbeck topped Wesley Chapel's Jake Simmons 6-1, 6-0 in No. 4 singles and Keegan Ledford won in No. 5 singles, 6-4, 6-1 over Hudson's Stephen Jones.
Lowman teamed in No. 1 doubles with Widboom for a 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 win against Hudson's Castaneda and Shane Swezey.
In No. 2 doubles, Taylor and Ehlenbeck beat Wesley Chapel's Nicholas and Simmons 6-0, 6-0.
"I have a lot of respect for (Hernando)," Wesley Chapel coach Jerry Savoy said. "They've always had a competitive team."
Wesley Chapel girls win
WESLEY CHAPEL - Yumi Hasegawa had the perfect preparation for winning a district championship: don't play.
During a week in Japan visiting her sick grandmother, Hasegawa never touched a racket. The rust failed to show as the Wesley Chapel freshman tore through Meighan O'Connor, a state tourney participant last year, in the semifinals and German exchange student Catherine Vordemfelde in the final to win the 2A-8 No. 1 singles title.
Hasegawa dropped two points in the two matches after dropping only three games in the regular season when she went 11-0.
"I just held the racket in my hand and played," Hasegawa said.
The simplistic philosophy worked as she became a triple champion, also taking No. 1 doubles and the team title as Wesley Chapel edged Hernando to earn a berth in Friday's regional.
No. 1 duo Hasegawa and Kumiko Fujloka stumbled in the second set, as Hudson's Meghan O'Connor and Rebecca Arico climbed within 3-2 after trailing 3-0. Wesley Chapel claimed three of the next four points to remain undefeated.
"They knew Kumi was tired, so they tried to avoid Yumi," Wesley Chapel coach Mark Kopp said. "But she hung in there."
Fujloka fell to Hernando's Jill Matherly 6-1, 6-4 at No. 4. Matherly and Cory Frederick were the seventh seed in No. 2 doubles, but used the slight to motivate them to the finals.
They pushed Wesley Chapel's Sam Wloch and Lindsay Lucado to a tiebreaker in the first set but faded in the second set, losing 6-2. Frederick also drew the seventh seed in No. 5 singles, but won the title by knocking off the top seed, Lucado.
"(I felt) very slighted because I came in undefeated in the district," Frederick said. "But it was good because it gave me a good bracket."
Jennifer Gabisch topped Nature Coast Tech's Olivia Murray 6-4, 6-2 at No. 3 to keep the Leopards close. Wloch put together her own three-peat, winning No. 2 singles 6-1, 6-0 against Hernando's Allison Solomon and No. 2 doubles. Like Hasegawa, Wloch (14-0) preserved her perfect record in singles.
