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Sharks: Runaway Repeat

HERNANDO COUNTY GIRLS TENNIS TOURNAMENT

Photo by JOE DiCRISTOFALO

NCT senior Rachel Conter eyes this return against Hernando's Ali Steiner in her straight sets 6-0, 6-3 nod Monday afternoon in the No. 1 singles finals at Delta Woods Park. Conter's win allowed her to repeat as Hernando County champion.

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By TONY CASTRO SPORTS EDITOR

Hernando Today

Published: March 30, 2009

SPRING HILL - Imagine a tournament – any athletic event, for that matter – devoid of upsets.
Image 15-of-15 singles matches all going according to Hoyle.
That's exactly what took place Monday for nearly 6 1/2 hours during the first day of the fifth annual Hernando County Girls Tennis Tournament at Delta Woods Park.
Under a slight easterly breeze, ideal 82-degree temperatures and without a cloud in the sky, the Sharks – behind its five top seeds - clinched its second straight county championship by sweeping 5-of-5 singles finals along with its first two doubles matches to finish Monday's first-round action with 12 points.
Three-time champ Central High was a distant second with three points, followed by Hernando (2) and Springstead (zero points).
NCT's first-day total tied Central's 2005 county record of 12 points. But the Sharks aren't done.
At 3 p.m. on Wednesday, NCT's has an opportunity to reset the county mark.
Its unseeded No. 1 doubles team of Rachel Conter/Olivia Williams, who downed the top-seeded Bears' duo of Stephanie Wilson/Layla Schuster, seeks a repeat team crown against Hernando's tandem of Ali Steiner/Olivia Wagner.
Steiner/Wagner advanced by eliminating Springstead's Sheralee Leonardo/Rebecca Kern, 6-1, 6-2.
At No. 2 doubles, the No. 2 seeded Sharks duo of Kaitlyn Bugden/Delanie McCabe faces Central's top seeded and unbeaten duo of McKenzie Burns/Stephanie Wert.
Burns/Wert (4-0 overall) advanced Monday afternoon by solving Springstead's Jessica Hall/Jenny Qiao, 6-1, 6-2.
Bugden/McCabe, who improved to 7-2 this season, advanced by ousting Hernando's Catherine Erana/Chasity Edwards, 6-3, 6-0.
While the Sharks' doubles teams attempt a tourney sweep on Wednesday, the event was essentially over following NCT's prodigious singles play.

Williams sets the pace

The highlight of the day belonged to Brooksville's Olivia Williams.
Williams, who missed 11 matches this season due to a right rotator (shoulder) injury, was all smiles after capturing her third Hernando County individual championship at No. 4 singles.
Williams, who entered the meet, 4-0 in singles action, expunged Hernando's Casey Miller, 6-0, 6-0, before ousting Central senior and ex-teammate, Anna DeAngelis, 6-1, 6-0.
Williams, who entered the 2009 campaign at 31-0 lifetime in singles action, had captured the county's No. 3 singles crown as a freshman and No. 2 singles title as a sophomore.
As Williams improved to 37-0 lifetime, she described Monday's match against DeAngelis as "playing against a friend."
The difference?
"My serve was on," explained the 17-year-old Williams. "Physically, the shoulder feels like it's recharged. I'm still going to therapy (Dr. Hensley in Brooksville) but today I was more excited than nervous."
How important is her unbeaten streak?
"It's real important to me," she said. "I'm trying to hold it up until I graduate."
What's next?
"I know I want to win districts," replied Williams and "hopefully go to states."
DeAngelis, who played for Head Coach Louise Downey as a freshman and a sophomore, before transferring to Central described the title match.
"I had a lot of fun out there," smiled the 17-year-old DeAngelis, who dipped to 2-5 overall. "I'm not taking tennis too seriously. I'm taking track seriously; otherwise it gets too stressful doing two sports, plus school, plus working.
"Since I took a year off, I'm not playing (tennis) at the same level I was at," she added.

Conter repeats

Another 2008 county champion to repeat was Conter.
Conter, who came into the tourney 12-2 overall, blanked Springstead's Sheralee Leonardo, 6-0, 6-0, before ousting Steiner in the No. 1 singles finals, 6-0, 6-3.
"I felt pretty good today," described the 17-year-old Conter. "I had good feet today. I listened to what my dad always says, 'Play to win; don't play to lose.'"
Overall?
"I still think I have to work on my consistency," explained the county's defending Player of the Year. "I've got to give props to Ali. She played excellent. Today was the third time we played and this was the best she's played against me."
"I pushed so hard," commented Steiner, who is 6-6 this spring. "I worked so hard, I put a hole in my shoe and I got a huge blister. I didn't think I played a great first set, because she's got so much top spin on the ball, but I thought I played to my fullest potential from about the midway point of the second set."

Bugden repeats, too

Bugden, who captured the No. 4 singles crown in 2008, earned the No. 5 crown this time.
Bugden, who came into the meet 12-3 overall, received the tourney's only forfeit before dispatching of No. 2 seed, Hernando's Hannah Spencer, 6-1, 6-1.
"I thought I did pretty well," shared the 15-year-old Bugden. "My approach shots were good and I hit a lot of slices. I give her (Spencer) a lot of credit; she's gotten a lot better. Mentally, I could not lose focus for a moment; otherwise she'd be right back in the match."

Freshmen power

Two of the county's finest young players, NCT freshmen Mallori Pickersgill at No. 2 singles and Delanie McCabe at No. 3 singles captured their first-ever county crowns.
McCabe, who came in with a county-best 14-2 slate, crushed Springstead's Jenny Qiao, 6-0, 6-0, before solving Wert in the finals, 7-5, 6-3.
"Today, I moved my feet well and hit a lot of winning overheads," said the 14-year-old McCabe. "This is the first time I've played her (Wert) in high school. But she's a good player."
"I tried as hard as I could," explained Wert, who dipped to 9-4 overall. "I thought the difference was she (McCabe) kept the ball in and was slicing the ball short. (Finishing second) Makes me want to try harder and come back next year undefeated and win the county."
For her part, Pickersgill explained the difference between middle school and the high school levels.
"At this level, the No. 1s and No. 2s, none of them are bad," said the 15-year-old Pickersgill, the county's female middle school Player of the Year. "That's a big difference from middle school. I'm satisfied with winning today. I've gotten better with my consistency and my first serve, but I need to work on my volleys."

Past Hernando County Girls Tennis Tournament Champions
- Compiled by TONY CASTRO

YEAR TEAM COACH PTS.
2005 Brooksville-Central Joe Nicolai 12
2006 Brooksville-Central Joe Nicolai 9
2007 Brooksville-Central Joe Nicolai 8
2007 Brooksville-Hernando Pete Lahey 8
2008 Brooksville-Nature Coast Louise Downey 10
2009 Brooksville-Nature Coast Louise Downey 12+

2009 Hernando County Tournament Team Standings (thru 03-30)
PL TEAM PTS
1. Brooksville-Nature Coast 12+
2. Brooksville-Central 3
3. Brooksville-Hernando 2
4. Spring Hill-Springstead 0
TOTALS 17

SINGLES RESULTS
No. 1:
Rachel Conter (NCT) def. Sheralee Leonardo (SPG), 6-0, 6-0.
Alison Steiner (HER) def. Stephanie Wilson (CEN), 6-4, 6-1.
(Championship)
* Rachel Conter (NCT) def. Alison Steiner (HER), 6-0, 6-3.

No. 2:
Mallori Pickersgill (NCT) def. Catherine Erana (HER), 6-1, 6-7 (6-8), 6-0.
Layla Schuster (CEN) def. Rebecca Kern (SPG), 6-1, 6-1.
(Championship)
Mallori Pickersgill (NCT) def. Layla Schuster (CEN), 6-2, 6-1.

No. 3:
Delanie McCabe (NCT) def. Olivia Wagner (HER), 6-0, 6-0.
Brittney Wert (CEN) def. Jenny Qiao (SPG), 6-1, 6-1.
(Championship)
Delanie McCabe (NCT) def. Brittney Wert (CEN), 7-5, 6-3.

No. 4:
Olivia Williams (NCT) def. Casey Miller (HER), 6-0, 6-0.
Anna DeAngelis (CEN) def. Jessica Hall (SPG), 6-0, 6-0.
(Championship)
$Olivia Williams (NCT) def. Anna DeAngelis (CEN), 6-1, 6-0.

No. 5:
Kaitlyn Bugden (NCT) won by forfeit over Springstead
Hannah Spencer (HER) def. Victoria Easler (CEN), 6-1, 6-1.
(Championship)
Kaitlyn Bugden (NCT) def. Hannah Spencer (HER), 6-1, 6-1.

DOUBLES RESULTS
No. 1:
Conter/Williams (NCT) def. Wilson/Schuster (CEN), 6-0, 6-3.
Steiner/Wagner (HER) def. Leonardo/Kern (SPG) 6-1, 6-2.
(Championship)
Conter/Williams (NCT) vs. Steiner/Wagner (HER).

No. 2:
Burns/Wert (CEN) def. Qiao/Hall (SPG), 6-1, 6-2.
Bugden/McCabe (NCT) def. Erana/Chasity Edwards, 6-3, 6-0.
(Championship)
Burns/Wert (CEN) vs. Bugden/McCabe (NCT).

* Denotes repeat champion
$ Denotes tri-peat champion

Sports Editor Tony Castro can be reached at 352-544-5278 or online at acastro@hernandotoday.com.

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