Southpinellas: 2 earn national berths

2 earn national berths

By NANCY MORGAN

Four local teams traveled to the Orlando area last weekend to battle for state championships and trips to national competition.

The USA League Tennis State Championships featured four regional champs in each of six women's and six men's divisions.

East Lake Woodland's 3.0 women's team and the men's squads from Feather Sound Country Club (3.0), Treasure Island Recreation, Tennis and Golf Center (4.5) and Renaissance Vinoy (5.5) were among the 24 women's teams and 24 men's squads.

Following the three-day round-robin competition, which was interrupted by rain and thunderstorms, Feather Sound and Treasure Island Rec emerged as state champions and earned a berth in the USA League Tennis national championships this fall.

"The competition was great and really tough," said Steven Reilly, captain of the Treasure Island Rec 4.5 squad.

"We expected it to be tough at this level," he said. "I can't even imagine what nationals will be like."

In its first match, Treasure Island defeated Tallahassee 4-1 on the play of Jim Cohen and Bill Funk in No. 1 and 2 singles, respectively, and Paul Reilly and Pierce Kelly in No. 1 doubles and Steven Reilly and Jeff Julien in No. 2.

Brothers Pat and Tim Brady lost a close No. 3 position match in a third-set tie-breaker.

"Our next match with a team from Coral Springs was a great one," said Steven Reilly. "They qualified for nationals last year, and Bill earned the winning point for us this year."

Against Coral Springs, Cohen had won in No. 1 singles along with Paul Reilly and Kelly in No. 1 doubles.

Funk, who was battling former playing professional Harold Solomon's brother, Mark, managed a third-set tiebreak win to give the team the needed third point.

With two victories, Treasure Island Rec played Orlando in the final match.

Cohen and Funk won their singles in straight sets and added victories from Pat Brady and Julien in No. 2 and Paul Reilly and Kelly in No. 3 for a 4-1 triumph.

"It'll be tough at nationals, no doubt," said Steven Reilly, "but we're fired up and ready to go.

"We're setting up practice matches and will be ready. We have four guys -- Pat and Tim Brady, my brother, Paul, and Bill Funk -- that have been to a national championship, and that helps all of us."

Feather Sound earned its fourth state title since 1992 and is optimistic about reaching the final four at the 3.0 nationals.

Wins over DeLand and Gainesville and a team default from Miami advanced the Clearwater squad to its fourth national berth.

"Against DeLand, we had a default at No. 2 singles to put us up 1-0 before we started the match," said Tim Riley, captain of Feather Sound.

"DeLand also hadn't competed in regional play and wasn't as prepared as I think we were."

Mike Wanger and Mike Dudich defended the No. 1 and No. 2 singles positions, respectively, and were 3-1 overall throughout the weekend.

Chip Frey and Bob Hicks in No. 1, Dan Huntington and Jess Chappell in No. 2 and Frank Kennedy and Kevin Cavanaugh in No. 3 rounded out the lineup against DeLand.

Riley and the rest of the Feather Sound club knew their second opponent from Gainesville would be a tough one since they had beaten perennial powerhouse Tallahassee in regional play to reach state.

Wanger won at No. 1, and Dudich lost a close one at No. 2. After Huntington and Chappell lost in No. 2 doubles, Feather Sound was down 2-1.

Frey and Hicks easily pulled out a win at No. 1 doubles to even the team score at 2 with Dean Bartels and Cavanaugh yet on court.

"We had a real surprise at No. 3 doubles when their No. 1 singles player moved to play No. 3 doubles and teamed with a wheelchair player," Riley said. "We were puzzled at first, but it was a great match.

"Dan and Kevin lost the first set 6-1 and were down 2-1 in the second. After another rain delay, we came back to win."

With two team wins and more rain, their third opponent from Miami defaulted and headed home to give Feather Sound the crown.

"We're a close-knit group and practice a lot together," Riley said. "We're excited about winning and equally happy about returning to a national championship."

Vinoy's 5.5 squad defeated Tallahassee 2-1 and lost 2-1 to Lakeland. A close 2-1 loss to Gainesville ended Vinoy's hopes of advancing to nationals.

"Our match with Gainesville was a tight one," Vinoy captain Ed Jagger said. "We were just as good as they, just a few years older."

Against Gainesville, Jeff Chambers lost a third-set tiebreaker in singles, Jeff Davis and Dave Anderson won in No. 1 doubles and Jagger and Neal Tourdo lost a close 7-6, 7-5 match in No. 2 doubles.

East Lake Woodlands' 3.0 women's team defeated Miami 3-2, but lost to Ormond Beach and eventual state champion Niceville 4-1.

Treasure Island Rec heads to nationals in Tucson, Ariz., Oct. 5-8; Feather Sound competes in Tucson Oct. 19-22.

Juniors at nationals: Alexandria Liles of Largo, seeded second in the 16-and-under division, and Stacia Fonseca of Lutz advanced to the round of 16 in the USTA National Hard Court Championships.

Third-seeded Kelly McCain made it to the round of 32 in the 256-player draw.

In boys national competition, 12th-seeded Sukhwa Young of Wesley Chapel played to the round of 16 in the division for 16-year-olds and to the semifinal round of doubles with Brian Baker of Tennessee.

Yuichi Uda of Wesley Chapel advanced to the round of the 32 in the 18s.

Tampa super series: Nicholas Berning of Seminole teamed with Tampa's Justin Herzig to defend their top doubles seeding in the division for 12-year-olds at this month's Tampa Bay Junior Super Series at Hillsborough Community College.

Second seeds Geoffrey Gilchrist and Jason Swenson of Oldsmar won the 14s, and George Navas of Belleair partnered with Seminole's Fred Johnson to take the 16s.

Free rally: A Community Tennis Rally is planned for Sept. 1 from 6 to 8 p.m. inside Tyrone Square Mall. Professionals at local tennis facilities will be available for questions and demonstrations and will provide information about their facility activities.

Pros interested in participating should e-mail dist12@tampabay.rr.com or call Phil Girardi, 321-1135. The event is sponsored by the area's District 12 in the USTA Florida Section and the Suncoast Tennis Foundation. Visit the STF website at www.suncoasttennis.com to learn more about the community tennis association.