Warhawks win No. 2 doubles final to break tie with the Green Devils
Seminole's Yarn sisters pull out a victory in 4A-7 to advance their team to the region stage on Friday.
By LAURA LEE
Published April 21, 2004
SEMINOLE - By afternoon's end the Yarn sisters had become the most important players for Seminole.
The Warhawks were tied with St. Petersburg, and it was up to the No. 2 doubles final to decide it.
Danielle and Leanne Yarn, a sophomore and freshman, played St. Petersburg seniors Kaitlin Holdstein and Tricia Hornsby in the last match of the afternoon to determine the winner of the Class 4A, District 7 tournament at Seminole on Tuesday.
The Yarns took the first set easily, winning 6-2, but the St. Petersburg duo, which came back from down a set in the semifinals to advance, battled to take the second set 6-2. The Yarns cautiously played the third set, which was full of several long, lob-filled points, before winning 6-4 to give Seminole the title.
"That made all the difference," Seminole coach Mike Perlin said. "They beat the two best teams to get in."
The Warhawks had lost to East Lake and St. Petersburg in the regular season, and the Green Devils were undefeated until this point.
Seminole's Amanda Yogus (No. 1) and Nicole Ashley (No. 5) won their singles finals to keep the Warhawks in the mix of things. St. Petersburg took two singles finals with Holdstein (No. 3) and Gabrielle Thompson (No. 4). The teams were tied after East Lake took the No. 2 singles (Elyse Roenick) and No. 1 doubles, with Tara Vafadari and Roenick defeating St. Petersburg's Caitlein Jammo and Katie Lee 7-5, 6-2.
The Yarns learned from losing a close match to the Green Devils' this year.
"Every time, we had to lob it over (Holdstein)'s head," Danielle Yarn said. "If she got the ball, she'd put it away."
And the sisters did just that. Both played most of the match from the baseline to maintain control.
The Warhawks play the winner of the 4A-8 district, which is determined today. Lakewood Ranch and Sarasota Riverview are tied and have to play a dual match.
3A-10: Countryside sweeps into region
Countryside swept through the 3A-10 district at Eddie C. Moore Complex. Freshman Ashley Hungerford led the way, winning her No. 1 singles final in straight sets over Dunedin's Ladina Badraun. The most games any Cougar lost in a set was three.
Cougars' coach Art Kohlmann said the team is playing its best at the right time.
Tarpon Springs finished a distant second.
Countryside hosts Alonso on Friday in the region tournament.
A-9: Admiral Farragut wins first championship
After finishing second the past two years, Admiral Farragut won its first district title at the St. Petersburg Racquet Club, outscoring Shorecrest 11-9.
Farragut won four of seven finals to win, led by Rachel Silverberg in the No. 2 singles position. She beat Shorecrest's Lauren Saltiel 6-1, 6-1. The Blue Jackets travel to Bradenton Academy in the region tournament.
Although Shorecrest didn't take the A-9 championship, the Chargers advanced its No. 1 singles and doubles to the state tournament. Morgan Basil defeated Laura Ladd 7-5, 6-3, and Basil and Saltiel defeated Farragut's team of Ladd and Silverberg 6-3, 5-7, 6-1.
