Ledford's first season in five years ends with runner-up finish at state.
By FRANK PASTOR
Published May 4, 2004
BROOKSVILLE - Keegan Ledford was burnt out on golf.
Active for years on Florida's junior circuits, the Hernando senior was looking for a break before he resumes playing in the summer to prepare for college.
When he chose to play tennis this spring for the first time in five seasons, he never expected to do something no other Hernando player had.
Ledford won two matches in the Class 2A tournament Tuesday at Hillsborough Community College to place second in the state at No. 5 singles.
Ledford beat Ross Sakey of Gulf Breeze 7-6 (7-0), 6-4 and Jason Kaufman of Cardinal Newman 6-2, 6-3 before falling 6-0, 6-1 to Creighton Blanchard of Jacksonville Bolles in the finals.
"I don't think he ever imagined having as much success as he did," Hernando coach Brett Teitelman said. "But I think going into it he thought he'd be successful at the higher ranks at (Nos.) 4 or 5."
Ledford last played competitive tennis as a seventh-grader at Parrott Middle School. He picked up his racquet "every now and then" during the past few years but focused most of his attention on golf.
A three-time All-Gulf Coast Athletic Conference golfer and the Times 2003 All-Citrus/Hernando Player of the Year, Ledford accepted a scholarship to Faulkner State, a Division I junior college in Fairhope, Ala., in February.
Still, for all of his accomplishments, he never qualified for the state tournament.
Until he resumed playing tennis.
"It was exciting, but obviously I care a lot more about golf," Ledford said. "That was icing on the cake, I guess, going for tennis."
Hernando advanced to state as a team for what is believed to be the first time in school history. But while his teammates bowed out in the opening round, Ledford kept winning.
"He played smart," Teitelman said. "He did some things some of the guys who played for me for four years weren't doing for me. He was very competitive and found a way to win."
Ledford's opponents take lessons and play competitively year-round. He was asked to imagine their frustration after losing to someone who hadn't even played during his first three years in high school.
"I guess they'd be mad, I don't know," Ledford said. "But they didn't find out."
Ledford's opponents also might have been surprised to hear that he first made his mark in a sport other than golf or tennis. He was a nationally ranked inline speed skater at age 10. He also played hockey and basketball before golf captured his imagination.
He said his natural ability helped him shake the rust after so many years away from tennis.
"I never really was that good," Ledford said. "I just played with athleticism and got lucky on those last few matches of my draw. I got lucky and was able to do all right."
It turned out to be just the break he needed.
- Frank Pastor can be reached at 800 333-7505, ext. 1430. Send e-mail to pastor@sptimes.com
