Royal Knights keep up their winning pace

By DAVID MURPHY
Published April 19, 2006

BROOKSVILLE - Last year, River Ridge went undefeated during the regular season, won districts, won regionals, placed seventh in the state and saw its No. 2 doubles team reach the semis.

This year, the Royal Knights are putting together a similarly impressive resume.

Already 12-0 during the regular season, River Ridge easily won district matches at Central High on Tuesday, taking home three singles and one doubles title.

Senior twins Lauren and Ryane Hille won titles at No. 2 and No. 3 singles, respectively, then teamed to post a 6-2, 6-1 win over Belleview at No. 2 doubles.

Last year, the Hilles were a big reason River Ridge placed seventh in the state. They made a run to the state semifinals at No. 2 doubles before losing to eventual champion Barron Collier. The Hilles' performance earned them a point in the final team standings, giving them a tie for seventh.

The day started with a marquee singles matchup between Wesley Chapel No. 1 Yumi Hasegawa and Central No. 1 Jeanette McDonald. In both sets, McDonald won a couple of games only to watch Hasegawa, who beat McDonald earlier in the year, seize control.

"It was a lot tougher this time," said Hasegawa, who won 6-3, 6-3 to advance to the state singles tournament. "I got really nervous. I was shaking in the beginning."

River Ridge's Natalie Ott-Brady defeated Belleview's Karly Kerstin 6-2, 6-2 at No. 4 singles, and Belleview's Kaylee Raney beat Central's Nicole Schallenberg 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) at No. 5 singles.

CRYSTAL RIVER - Panthers coach Karen Dickson let out a gasp of air and relaxed. Lecanto's No. 2 doubles pair of Sasha Rodriguez and Lakshmi Ram had just won 6-2, 6-1 against Citrus's Ashton and Jordan Connor and with it came a district title that symbolizes a decade of dominance.

"This is big," Dickson said. "It's awesome. This one feels good because they had to work for it."

After the first day, Lecanto led by 11 points to Citrus' 10 after West Port's Elissa Abell spoiled Citrus' chance in the No. 3 singles, which would have left Lecanto and Citrus tied going into Tuesday's finals.

Things became more intense, after Lecanto's No. 5 singles, Tracy Grady lost her finals match to Citrus' Ashton Connor, leaving the Panthers one point shy of a victory against the 'Canes, which led to a Lecanto-Citrus No. 1 and No. 2 doubles finals showdown.

Had Citrus won both doubles matches, it would have forced a playoff today, Dickson said, in which the 'Canes probably would have upset Lecanto's streak.

"Three of my girls are going to the state science fair and wouldn't have been here," Dickson said. "So we would have lost."

Instead Lecanto won with 18 points, followed by Citrus (16), West Port (8), Crystal River (7) . Lecanto advances as a team to Friday's regional.

Citrus sophomore Courtney Spafford won her second straight No. 1 singles title and will advance to directly to state with her sister, freshman Lindsey Spafford in No. 1 doubles, after a comeback 2-6, 7-5, 6-0 win against Lecanto's Sonia Shah and Shivani Parikh.

- DAWN REISS, Times staff writer

SPRING HILL - The Hernando girls entered the last day of competition with a player in each finals match, just like their male counterparts. And just like the boys, one win was enough to secure a team title. Once Rachel Lowman beat Nature Coast's Sara Paradis 6-3, 6-1, Hernando was assured a spot in Friday's region finals.

The highlight of the day was a hotly contested, back-and-forth match between Nature Coast's Rachel Conter and Hernando's Chelsea Clark for the No. 1 title and an automatic bid to state. After some warring words, some line arguments and chilly moments as the two passed each other during matches, Conter, who had beaten Clark three times this season, pulled out a 7-5, 5-7, 7-6 (7-1) win.

As soon as the match was over, coach Louise Downey gleefully mouthed, "She's just a freshman." The two hugged on the court.

Conter's teammate, Aspen Dukes, had a tough time in her No. 2 match against Hernando's Angie Wessell, but won 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3). Later, Clark and Leah Keefe advanced to state, beating Conter and Anna DeAngelis in the No. 1 doubles match.

Conter said though she is excited about state competition, the fact that her teammates won't join her is a bit of a letdown. The Sharks were the favorites entering the tournament. They had beaten Hernando 4-3 in both meetings this season, going undefeated in district play. But with Lowman's victory, one that needed a line judge to settle a dispute at the end, and Emily Cochran's 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (5-0) victory over DeAngelis, it's the Leopards that will advance in an upset.

- VINCENT THOMAS, Times staff writer

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