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Depth lifts Shorecrest

ST. PETERSBURG - If there was pressure on Shorecrest to win the boys title, the Chargers didn't show it.

Playing on their home court, the Chargers entered Tuesday with a two-point lead over Admiral Farragut. While Farragut's Gregory LeCompte defeated Shorcrest's Johnathan Bonner in a grueling set match for the No. 1 singles crown, Shorecrest used its depth in the lower matches to capture a third consecutive championship.

"We've got others in the wings waiting to play," Shorecrest coach Elaine East said. "We've consistently had a steady team." Brett Apter fended off Admiral Farragut's Marco Pineda in No. 2 singles 6-2, 6-1. Shorecrest's Michael Kopleman remained undefeated at No. 3, turning back Omar Fida 6-0, 6-0. "He's an impressively smart player," East said of Kopleman. "Not big on power but has a whole arsenal." The Shorecrest girls overcame a two-point deficit to take the title from Northside Christian. Morgan Basil began the comeback with a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Admiral Farragut's Rachel Silverberg. Jillian Gairing followed with a 6-0, 6-2 win against Northside Christian's Lindsey White in No. 5 singles. The Mustangs extended the lead when Samantha Melby defeated Canterbury's Cassie Harris 6-1, 6-2. Allura Gabay had a chance to put Northside up by three with a win in No. 4 singles, but Shorecrest's Kate Cherven squeezed out a 7-6 (1), 6-4 victory. The Charger won twice in doubles to claim the title.

Shorecrest will host the girls and boys regionals Friday at the Racquet Club of St. Petersburg.

CLEARWATER - Saddlebrook took the boys crown after winning the bottom four seeds.

Tampa Prep's George Navas, 14th in Junior USTA and third in the state, won No. 1 singles and helped his squad finish second. Berkeley Prep was third.

Saddlebrook's girls trailed by one point with only the No. 1 doubles remaining. Tampa Prep's Andrea Meythaler and Kelly Palmer rallied from a first-set 5-2 deficit to win 7-5, 6-2 and force a tie between the teams for the championship. FHSAA rules state that such squads play an eight-game pro-set dual. They're scheduled to meet at Saddlebrook or Royal Racquet Club at 4 p.m. Five weeks since she last picked up a racquet and three weeks since having her appendix taken out, Meythaler fell short of winning No. 1 singles. Saddlebrook's Yui Shimizu won the match 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-4. Saddlebrook's Kourtney Stark took No. 2, but Victoria Kostina, Mary Ingram, and Brittney Pierpont claimed the bottom four seeds for Tampa Prep.

- ERIC MUSKATEVC, Times correspondent