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Tennis

Feather Sound qualifies two squads for regional tournament

By NANCY MORGAN
Published June 22, 2005

USA League Tennis playoff action concluded last weekend with Feather Sound Country Club qualifying two teams for next month's USA Tennis Florida West Regional Championships. Regional winners advance to state, then competition ends at the national tournament.

Feather Sound will represent Pinellas in the 3.5 women's and 3.0 men's divisions.

Two-time 4.0 men's defending state champion Seminole Lake Tennis Center completed its round robin, receiving its third consecutive regional berth. St. Petersburg Country Club's 2.5 women secured their second trip. Joining the south-county squads are the Countryside Country Club 3.0 women, Phil Green Tennis Academy 4.0 women and 4.5 men, Royal Racquet Club 4.5 women and McMullen 3.5 men.

The Feather Sound women extended their record to 13-0 with two victories. In the deciding match with McMullen on Sunday, Feather Sound collected four points for wins from Kari Kiewatt in No. 1 singles and Elaine Diloreto in No. 2, Robyn Williams and Kathy Wilson at No. 1 doubles and Jan Cox and Helen Friedman in No. 3.

"We've been together a long time, and that gives us a definite advantage," captain Carol Stowasser said. Feather Sound used mixed doubles league participation to prepare for tougher competition. In addition to Kiewatt and Diloreto, Grace Winter defended the singles positions. Rounding out the 13-player team are Natalie Peck, Marilyn Quackenbush, Brenda Dannewitz, Lori Clarke and Katie Chappell.

When 3.0 men's fall league champion Largo Tennis Center defaulted its playoff spot with the spring winner, Feather Sound's final match of the season with Royal Racquet Club gained importance. A loss would have placed Feather Sound second in the league.

"We lost in No. 2 and were even, 2-2," Riley said.

Blane Sherk and Roger Rogers lost the first set but came back to win the next two to give Feather Sound the victory in the No. 3 spot."

Suetholtz was unbeaten at No. 1 and played in every match. Joe Molinaro, Sherk and Jake Kevorkian shared the No. 2 singles slot.

"We've had a 3.0 team at nationals in 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2001," Riley said. "Roger, George Ditzel and I were on all those teams. We also had a team that went to state in '99. The nucleus of this team was on the 50-and-over team that played at state this year and barely was beaten out." Rounding out the 11-player squad are Dan Diloreto, Tom Schultz and Bob Shuck.

Seminole's 4.0 men added three wins to produce a 9-0 record. After beating the Racquet Club and the Renaissance Vinoy in playoff action, Saturday's match with McMullen determined the champion.

Jeff Mars led off with a Seminole win, collecting a straight-set decision in No. 1 singles. The top doubles team of Mark Curran and Brian Cooper raised Seminole's lead to 2-0 before McMullen answered with a victory at No. 3.

Jon Bean and Eric Alvarado clinched it for Seminole with a two-set victory in No. 2 doubles. Chris Rivera defended his unbeaten mark with a 6-4, 7-5 triumph at No. 2 to cap a 4-1 win.

Rounding out the team are captain Red McGarry, William Mcmahon, Steve Crivello, Larry Daum, Jason Lewis, Jim McCook, Kevin Hayslett, Doug Haskitt, Harold Kligman, Dean Bryan and Michael Shapiro.

St. Petersburg Country Club's 2.5 women blanked the Vinoy 3-0 for its second regional berth. Players include captain Meg Clough, Claudia Roberts, Marie Rinadi, Faith Alford, Deborah Masi, Georgine Higginbotham, Lynne Steiner, Laurin Fronduto-Weir, Ada Bussey, Marlene Guerrier and Karen O'Connell.

Regionals are scheduled for July 14-17 in Naples.

NET SHOTS: Seminole's Mary Jane Evertz and Clearwater's Kevin Manning defended their top seed in the Florida State Closed Mixed Doubles Championships with a 7-6 (5), 6-1 title victory in the 45-and-over division. Finishing second were Oldsmar's Nancy Boyce and Alex Deeb. Julia Claire Jones played past her No. 5 seed in the Florida State Closed Sectional, finishing second in the girls 12-and-under class. Alex Cercone placed third in the 14 competition, and Lindsay Dvorak was fourth in 16. Danielle Collins reached the 12 quarterfinals, and George Navas made it to the boys 18 quarters. Emily Dvorak advanced to the round of 16 in girls 12, and Nicholas Berning qualified for that round in boys 18.

Andrea Guerra (girls 10 division), Ricky Symanski (boys 12) and Matt Herrock (14) scored singles victories in last weekend's Seminole Summer Classic. Finalists included Alyssa Bellini (girls 14), Natalie Boruk (12), Kimberly Herrock (10), Robert Dvorak (boys 12) and David Teytelbaum (10). Scoring consolation wins were Jennifer Floyd (girls 16) and Caitlein Jammo (18).

Among the 10 teams participating in last weekend's Rallyball Tennis Jamboree at Clearwater's Countryside Country Club were Courier's Kids and Fossils Stars (8-and-under division) and Fossil Aces, NYSP Eckerd College Tritons and PAL Power Racquets (8-and-under). Jason Tottle of the Power Racquets was second in the 12 class sportsmanship award selection. Entered in the Saturday-July 1 Bush Florida Open, the kickoff tournament for summer junior national events, are Morgan Basil, Lindsay Dvorak, Nicholas Smith, Nicholas Berning and Nick Gallauer.

COMING UP: The Clearwater Junior Summer Classic begins Saturday at Mullen Tennis Complex. Call 669-1919 to enter the state-sanctioned singles.

[Last modified June 22, 2005, 01:09:13]