3A Regional tennis

By RODNEY PAGE

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 19, 2000

WHEN/WHERE: 11:30 today, McMullen Tennis Center, Clearwater.

• SCHOOLS: Boys -- Seminole vs. Palm Harbor University; Girls -- St. Petersburg vs. Palm Harbor University.

• FORMAT: There will be five singles matches and two doubles matches. Instead of pro sets, matches will be decided in best-of-three sets. Winners in each group play in the state tournament next week in Lakeland.

• IF YOU GO: From the north, head south on U.S. 19 to Druid. Take a right. Turn left on Edenville Avenue and proceed to the end of the road. From the south, head north on U.S. 19 to Druid. Take a left on Edenville Avenue and proceed to the end of the road.

• OUTLOOK: On the girls side, PHU defeated St. Petersburg in the regular season, but the Green Devils seemed optimistic about their chances in regionals. Jacqui Perlman, Julie Miller and Francesca Chiappo won district championships in Nos. 3, 4 and 5 singles, respectively. And Perlman and Miller were No. 2 doubles champs.

PHU lost only to Seminole in the regular season, and St. Petersburg beat Seminole in the district tournament. Carla Wrassman (No. 2), Huldah Dayton (No. 3) and Anjali Shetty (No. 4) were district champs. Wrassman and Saira Fida were No. 2 doubles champs. This match likely will come down to doubles.

On the boys side, PHU and Seminole both are strong. The Hurricanes top player, Ryan Buchanan, is coming off an upset win over Countryside's Bryan Lauer in No. 1 singles. Justin Szerementa at No. 2 and Daniel Gerard at No. 3 also won titles. Seminole played very well in winning the District 10 championship. Fred Johnson, Aaron Kitenplon, Devin Hultgren and Scott Popowski were all district champs. And No. 1 player Ed Christner was second.

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