With their county cohorts retired, St. Petersburg's Shay Wali and Nick Gallauer survived the first day of the state tournament and are just one match from playing for a state title.
The Pinellas County contingent, all five players, were at the Class 4A tournament's secondary location - the courts behind Lake Brantley High on Monday. Winning not only meant advancing in the tournament, but also moving to a more professional tennis facility at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs.
Wali and Gallauer won their doubles quarterfinal over Gainesville Buchholz's Peter Kim and Ricky Reghorst, 6-2, 7-5. They face Maimi Jackson's Yannick Jackson and Clifford Malivert, the tournament No. 2 seeds, today.
After losing their first doubles match of the season last week in the region tournament, coach Alan Turnquist said the boys are playing 10 times better. Especially Gallauer, who struggled at the net and is playing more aggressive and making some unexpected volleys.
Wali also competed in singles. He had a bye in the first round and won his second-round match over Malivert 6-3, 6-2 to meet Durant's Shaun Young in the semis. Wali lost to Young, last year's Class 3A overall champion, 6-2, 7-5.
Seminole's Amanda Yogus advanced a round further than last year before losing to Taravella's Marlena Hall, the No. 2 seed, in the three sets. Yogus, a junior, won the first set commandingly at 6-2, but Hall adjusted to Yogus' power baseline game and took over in the final two sets 6-1, 6-0.
East Lake sent Tara Vafadari and Elyse Roenick in doubles. Ready to play at 10 a.m., the Eagles had a bye in the first round and waited to play their first match, the final match of the day, around 4:15. They lost 6-1, 6-4 to the No. 1 seeds Hall and Jamie Lieberman from Taravella.
"We gave it a good shot," coach Judy Barrett said. "I think sitting around really gets to you."
Roenick started the season as East Lake's No. 1 and Vafadari, a freshman, hesitantly challenged the senior for the top spot and won. With plenty of tennis ahead of her, Barrett said Vafadari has a lot of potential and with some hard work, should return to state.
