Crystal River pair falters

By SCOTT PURKS
Published April 28, 2005

TAMPA - Crystal River's Chris Lavoie and Brian deMontfort were some of the lone area players to watch. But they fell 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 after several hours to a team from Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest. Also losing in the semifinal round were Hernando's doubles tandem of Shaena Keefe and Chelsea Clark. They fell 6-4, 6-1 to a team from Stanton Prep.

Most of the noise from the bay area came from Hillsborough County.

Freedom's Laura Gioia did what no other player in Class 2A from the area could do. She won an individual title in the team competition. Wednesday's match, a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Jacksonville Bolles' Katherine Decker-Sadowski, was a relative relief after Tuesday's drawn-out victory that left Gioia in cramps and tears.

When she won the final point Wednesday, she had a little more than a grin.

"I think my emotions might have been drained in Tuesday's match (a 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 victory)," she said, grinning wider. "I am very, very happy, but I do have another match to concentrate on."

That would be today's overall individual final, which pits the team No.1 champion vs. the individual bracket champion.

She will be the only player from Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Citrus or Hernando counties playing today.

[Last modified April 28, 2005, 01:19:11]