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NAPLES - Shay Wali didn't pay much attention to his teammates across the way, playing on another court.
They, like him, were playing with the same urgency.
Though St. Petersburg needed only one of its doubles win to take the 4A-4 region title and move on to the state tournament, the Green Devils played like they desperately needed them both.
In a tournament that included a trio of three-setters, St. Petersburg lost both of its doubles matches, falling 4-3 to Naples Lely at East Naples Community Park Friday.
Wali and No. 1 doubles partner Nick Gallauer fell 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 to Lely's Kieth Embree and Travis Murray. Gallauer's serve was broken in the first game of the final set and St. Petersburg never broke back. Gallauer and Wali won the first set in about 15 minutes, but went down 4-0 in the second set and the momentum shifted to Lely. The pair seemed to do best with Gallauer serving and Wali free to volley, but they struggled with consistency.
The No. 2 doubles match ended while the No. 1 doubles were playing. Mike Brady and Zak Schirm could not hold off their opponents, putting the tournament in the hands of Wali and Gallauer.
"We weren't relying on each other to win," Wali said. "We had it in our minds we were both going to win."
Shorecrest loses 6-1Shorecrest senior Christian Yepes worked hard to win his first set in a tiebreaker, but his St. Stephen's opponent stopped playing as soon as his team won the other four singles matches.
The Chargers traveled to Bradenton to take on last year's state runner-ups and lost 6-1.
Yepes won his No. 2 singles match by default after winning the first set 7-6 (7-1) when his opponent, Brennen Phitten realized his team had clinched the region title.
Yepes and Jonathan Bonner will continue on to state as district champs in No. 1 doubles and No. 1 singles (Bonner).
- LAURA LEE