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WHEN: 3 p.m. Friday.
AT STAKE: The winning team of each regional match will advance to next week's state championships. The Class 3A state meet will be held April 28-30 at Sanlando Park and Lake Brantley high in Altamonte Springs. The Class 2A state meet will be held April 27-29 at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa. The Class A state meet will be held April 27-29 at Florida State University's Scott Speicher Tennis Center and Tom Brown Park in Tallahassee. The No. 1 singles and doubles players who won district titles are already qualified for the individual state championship brackets.
ADMISSION: Free.
BOYS MATCHESWHAT: Class 3A, Region 3.
WHO: Flagler Palm Coast at Land O'Lakes.
OUTLOOK: Both teams won their districts last season but lost in regionals, with the Gators losing to Lakeland George Jenkins and Palm Coast losing to Spruce Creek. Land O'Lakes hasn't lost a match this year and has barely been challenged, led by an experienced top three of Vu-Anh Thai, Kyle Staiger and Mike Seidl. Thai may have an advantage at No. 1 singles, as Palm Coast's top player, junior Brett Armstrong, lost in his district final. Staiger's only losses in singles or doubles in the past two seasons came at last year's state tournament.
WHAT: Class A, Region 4.
WHO: Lakeland Christian at Saddlebrook Prep.
OUTLOOK: Tampa Prep's No. 1 George Navas was an old Saddlebrook Prep nemesis - until the Spartans new No. 1, Ryan Waits, took him apart 6-2, 6-2. Saddlebrook dominated the match, winning all 21 points. Last year's state runners-up look as strong as ever. "We were hoping to win it but not in the manner that we did it," said Spartans coach Matt Holsopple. The Vikings are coming off their third straight district title, led by No. 1 Scotty Phillips. Tampa Prep's closest district match was when Navas and Cameron Bobbitt rallied from 5-1 in the third set before losing 7-5, 1-6, 7-5 to Waits and Clint Bowles. Waits, a senior, is headed for the University of Miami.
GIRLS MATCHESWHAT: Class 2A, Region 3.
WHO: Orlando Bishop Moore at Wesley Chapel.
OUTLOOK: Wesley Chapel freshman Yumi Hasegawa went for the cycle in the district tournament, winning No. 1 singles, doubles and the team trophy. Now she pits her undefeated 12-0 streak against the defending 2A singles champion, Natalie Arcario, of Bishop Moore. Arcario also teamed with Sarah Hankins last season to win the 2A doubles title, too. The Wildcats will face a tough challenge to make the team's first trip to state. But coach Mark Kopp can't say enough about his team's performance in the district. "They just did a phenomenal job," he said. "Yumi stepped up and did exactly what we hoped she would do. She dominated, which was nice."
WHAT: Class A, Region 4.
WHO: All Saints Academy at Saddlebrook Prep.
OUTLOOK: Saddlebrook Prep, the defending Class A state runners-up, want to get back to state. To do so they'll face a strong All Saints team led by senior Whitney Anders, who fell in the district final, and two seventh-grade standouts in Stephanie Sheekey and Catherine Simon. But after dominating Tampa Prep in the district to win its ninth straight, Holsopple is confident in his Spartans. "I know we have a good squad of players," the coach said. "But for them to go out and take care of business like they do, yes we have good players, but a clean sweep on all sides is a surprise to me." Saddlebrook is led by No. 1 Alina Sullivan.
- Compiled by Greg Auman and Jamal Thalji.