Jammo, Devils get repeat title

By JOHN C. COTEY
Published April 19, 2006

CLEARWATER - Everyone else was done. But not Caitlein Jammo.

She's never done.

"I always tend to play three-set matches, I don't know why," she said.

Jammo's victory at No. 3 singles helped give the Green Devils a second straight district title.

Jammo's 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 win over Alonso's Gabriela Ospina clinched at least a tie for St. Petersburg heading into doubles, where the No. 2 team of Kaitlin Holdstein and Ashley Hood knocked off Ospina and Marcela Lopez to clinch it.

St. Petersburg finished with 18 points, Alonso with 16.

Jammo said she let up a little in the second set before bearing down.

The Ravens won at No. 1 and 2 singles, as Megan Broderick beat Lindsay Dvorak and Fernanda Ospina beat Hood, who retired in the third set down 3-0 with an injured knee. Hood came back in doubles and teamed with Holdstein to win.

TARPON SPRINGS - East Lake's Tara Vafadari gutted out a win to help the Eagles win the tournament. The Yarn sisters, Danielle and Leanne, won the No. 2 and No. 3 matches for Seminole but it came down to the No. 2 doubles match, which East Lake's Jennifer Loftus and Carly Gilchrist winning, giving East Lake one more point than the Warhawks.

- ERIC MUSKATEVC, Times correspondent

ST. PETERSBURG - Lakewood junior Simone Berger picked up competitive tennis three years ago and has never attended the state championships - not even as a spectator.

Next week, she'll head to state as a participant.

Behind a dominant performance from Berger (15-2) at No. 1 singles and good depth, the Spartans (11-4) upended Largo at the St. Petersburg Country Club to win the district.

Boasting district champions at Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 singles and both doubles positions, the Spartans piled up 18 points, four ahead of Largo.

- EMERY SKOLFIELD, Times correspondent

VALRICO - Academy of the Holy Names won the championship with 18 points, followed by Newsome with 11, St. Petersburg Catholic (seven) and Tampa Catholic (six) at Riverhills Country Club.

Newsome and Academy were even after the first day and both had four in the singles finals. Academy won three individual titles.

- TERRY JONES, Times correspondent

CLEARWATER - Northside Christian won its first title. Though two doubles finals are scheduled today, Northside's 23 points are enough to clinch the team title.

- DOUG KATES, Times correspondent

[Last modified April 19, 2006, 01:59:13]