Plant, Alonso prevail

By KEITH NIEBUHR
Published April 20, 2005

TAMPA - Depth was the name of the game Tuesday in the district tournament at Harbour Island Athletic Club. Plant and Alonso, the boys and girls champions, simply had too much of it for everyone else.

Plant reached all seven finals. Alonso reached six.

"We played excellent," Plant coach John Olewski said.

The win was extra sweet for the Panthers because they finished two points ahead of second-place Hillsborough, one of their top rivals and last season's district champion. Hillsborough was solid, too, but Plant won three of five head-to-head singles matches with the Terriers in Tuesday's finals.

Sophomore Jeff D'Adamo, was Plant's top performer, winning matches at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles (with Joel Samaha). He moved to 7-0 in singles this season and clinched his second straight appearance in the state tournament. Samaha, at No. 2, and Zane Moss, at No. 4, also won singles titles.

"It was a pretty good week," D'Adamo said. "I haven't played on clay in awhile, but after my first match I got my timing down."

Alonso's girls were equally impressive.

The Ravens, who placed sixth at state last year, got singles championships from No. 2 Fernanda Ospina, No. 3 Gabriela Ospina and No. 4 Marcela Lopez. In doubles, Alonso won at No. 1 (Megan Broderick and Fernanda Ospina) and No. 2 (Gabriela Ospina-Lopez).

"I like where we are," Alonso coach Helen Soash said. "This team has really peaked at the right time."

The most notable match came at No. 1 singles, where Chamberlain freshman Jamie Mera pulled off a mild upset by defeating the previously unbeaten Broderick, 6-3, 6-3. A year ago, Broderick was a singles standout at state. Mera improved to 13-1 and advanced to state in the process.

"Jamie has a tendency to go for it, but she didn't try to make too many hard shots (Tuesday)," Chamberlain coach Mike Zanatian said. "She more or less kept the ball in play and played the points."

TAMPA - King's girls and Wharton's boys won titles at Hunter's Green Country Club.

King's No. 1 and 2 seeds lost in the finals, but the Lions' strong play at the bottom seeds sent them through to regionals. King (9-0) took the No. 3, 4 and 5 final matches and No. 2 doubles final to get past Wharton.

"We have depth," said King coach Carole Pressick, who hopes to get through the regional Friday and make it to King's third straight state tournament. "We're strong No. 1 through No. 5. They play with a lot of heart and they play as a team."

King finished with 18 points, with Wharton (14) second and Armwood (seven) third.

Wharton No. 1 seed Brooke Allen and the No. 1 doubles pair of Allen and Eva Sambrano won district titles to automatically advance to state.

Wharton's boys won all five singles matches in straight sets. Wharton is trying to make the state tournament a second straight year.

"I just have a strong, smart team," Wharton coach Marcie Scholl said. "They play a smart game of tennis and they're conditioned right for it also. They've all had great coaches that have got them going and they've just all blended together."

In the No. 1 match, Wharton's Scot Seitz defeated Brandon's Garrett Miller 6-4, 6-5, avenging a regular-season loss.

"He's a senior and he's a captain," Seitz said. "He's just a leader on and off the court."

Michael O'Rourke, Alex Bartholomew, Mitch Wong and Rudy Lefebvre also won for Wharton.

- THOMAS SIMONETTI, Times correspondent

NEW PORT RICHEY - To Land O'Lakes senior Vu-Anh Thai, pressure wasn't facing longtime rival Gregg Strange in the championship at River Ridge. It's the two weeks of testing the International Baccalaureate student faces when he returns to school.

"That'll be a tough one or two weeks," said Thai, who plans to study biomedical or civil engineering at the University of Florida. "That's what I've worked four years for, to pass these tests." After dropping his first four matches against Strange, Thai passed his latest test. He won 6-2, 6-1 to claim a third consecutive victory over his county rival, second straight title and automatic state berth. The No. 1 singles and doubles winners qualified for the state tournament Monday in Altamonte Springs.

Thai, among the nation's top 400 players in boys 18 last year, answered Strange's powerful forehand and ability to move the ball with counterattacking and a strong serve.

"I pride myself on playing my own game," Thai said. "My game is going to be my game, and his is going to be his. I make it simple for myself first and then difficult for my opponent second."

Shawn Wilson won singles and doubles championships to help Central to its first boys crown. Wilson won at No. 4 singles and joined Mike Paulter to place first in No. 2 doubles. John McDonald and Tony Bulso clinched the Bears' region berth and state spots with a No. 1 singles victory.

River Ridge's girls won three singles championships and one doubles title to deny Central a sixth consecutive crown.

Twins Lauren and Ryane Hille won at Nos. 2 and 3 singles and combined for a victory in No. 2 doubles. The Royal Knights' Kristin Greenup won at No. 5 singles.

"I was beginning to wonder if anyone else was ever going to win it," River Ridge coach Ron Spriggs said. "It's nice for the district championship to come back to Pasco." Central didn't go quietly.

Sophomore Jeannette McDonald advanced to state a second straight season, defeating River Ridge's Ina Groeger in the No. 1 singles final and teaming with Irene Cho to beat Groeger and Natalie Ott-Brady at No. 1 doubles.

- FRANK PASTOR, Times staff writer

[Last modified April 20, 2005, 02:56:36]