Regional tennis

By JOHN C. COTEY
Published April 22, 2005

4A: SARASOTA RIVERVIEW at ST. PETERSBURG

WHEN/WHERE: 3 p.m. St. Petersburg Tennis Center

OUTLOOK: Lindsay Dvorak, ranked No. 11 in the state for girls 14 and under by the USTA, continued her excellent and undefeated freshman season by dominating at districts and improving to 10-0. The Green Devils have also gotten undefeated seasons from Caitlein Jammo, Ashley Hood and Kaitlin Holdstein. The Rams are led by sisters Kirstin and Kendal Ruffner, who play at No. 1 and No. 2 singles and team up in No. 1 doubles. Kirstin was named the Newark Star-Ledger's player of the year this school year, earning the honor in December before her family moved to Sarasota.

A: BRADENTON ST. STEPHENS at SHORECREST

WHEN/WHERE: 3 p.m. Royal Racquet Club

OUTLOOK: Shorecrest is the only district winner still alive that trailed heading into the finals. Morgan Basil, Jillian Gairing and Kate Cherven all came up with key wins as the Chargers rallied past Northside Christian. Their reward is a formidable Bradenton St. Stephens team that is led by top players Angela (freshman) and Mary Chupa (seventh-grader). The Falcons won their district by only a point and lost at Nos. 1-2 singles.

3A: COUNTRYSIDE at ALONSO

WHEN/WHERE: 3 p.m., Countryway Courts, Tampa.

OUTLOOK: Countryside sophomore Ashley Hungerford picked up a 6-0, 6-0 win at No. 1 for her second straight district title to lead the Cougars to a fifth straight district title. She'll get a chance to avenge last year's loss to Alonso sophomore Megan Broderick. The two met in last year's regional with Broderick dominating for a 6-0, 6-0 win. Broderick is coming off a loss in the district final, but is backed by talented sisters Fernanda and Gabriella Ospina.

BOYS

4A: SARASOTA at ST. PETERSBURG

WHEN/WHERE: 3 p.m. St. Petersburg Tennis Center

OUTLOOK:Last year's Pinellas County player of the year may have left St. Petersburg early, but the Green Devils' winning ways didn't. Nick Gallauer has become a solid No. 1, and freshman Aaron Ellison (who must rebound from a tough semifinal district loss at No. 2 singles) and junior Robert Corty have stepped in to effectively fill the void. Sarasota's 1-2 tandem of David and John Wolff won singles and a doubles title at districts, but the Sailors could be susceptible at 3-5 singles.

A: ST. JOHN NEUMANN at SHORECREST

WHEN/WHERE: 3 p.m. Royal Racquet Club.

OUTLOOK: St. John Neumann got some help at district when defending state champion Bradenton St. Stephens lost its Nos. 1 and 2 singles players early, and not to Celtic players. Not having to play the defending champs, who beat Shorecrest 6-1 last year in region action, will give the Chargers a little boost. Shorecrest used superior depth to win a third straight district title.

3A: COUNTRYSIDE at PLANT

WHEN/WHERE: 3 p.m., Grady Courts, Tampa

OUTLOOK: For the second straight year, the Cougars won a district title by one point despite capturing only three of the seven championships on the final day. The Cougars needed three sets to get wins at No. 2 and No. 3 singles, and won at No. 5 as well. Plant sneaked by defending champ Hillsborough by two points at districts thanks to sophomore Jeff D'Adamo, who won matches at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles (with Joel Samaha), and the kind of depth that allowed them to place someone in all seven finals.

[Last modified April 22, 2005, 00:44:19]