Three Hernando County tennis teams advanced into regional play as district champions, but only one remained standing after Thursday’s finals.
For the second season in a row, Hernando’s girls collected a regional championship by defeating Crystal River at the Brooksville City Courts. This time around, the Lady Leopards won by a 5-2 score in the Class 2A, Region IV final.
“It feels really good. It feels good for the girls. It really feels good for the seniors,” Hernando head coach Teri Sellers said. “I’m glad we got to come back and play it here, and do it here in front of some of our family.”
Curren, one of those seniors, won her match at No. 1 singles over Maddie Lewis, 6-3, 4-6, 10-7. Caitlynn Nixon added a win at No. 4 against Shannon Hancock, 6-2, 6-0, while Karli Kimbrough dominated at No. 5 versus Tess Redrick, 6-0, 6-0.
The senior Pickersgill suffered her first loss of the season, falling to Olivia Parker at No. 2, 6-4, 1-6, 10-7, but regrouped to team with Curren for the clinching victory over Lewis and Hancock at No. 1 doubles, 6-2, 6-0.
Madison Munez, who lost at No. 3 to Anna Lane, 6-0, 6-2, ended up joining Nixon for a forfeited win at No. 2 doubles, when the Lady Pirates opted to pull Parker and Lane off the court with the team outcome decided.
“I think the girls were up today. I really do think they were ready,” Sellers said. “I think a lot of pressure was on the number one and two girls, Maddie and Grace. Especially Madeline, her undefeated record. I’m not happy she didn’t win, but I always think things happen for reasons, and I think it gave her a stronger play there in doubles.”
By virtue of the regional crown, the entire Lady Leopard lineup will get to play at the FHSAA Finals this coming week in the Orlando area.
In Tuesday’s semifinals, Hernando (14-0) defeated Hudson, 6-1. Curren beat Elena Guy, 6-2, 6-2, Pickersgill knocked off Emilee Beard, 6-2, 6-2, Nixon did the same to Kendall Prahasky, 6-1, 6-2, and Kimbrough downed Trinity Hilton, 6-0, 6-0.
Curren and Pickersgill added a win over Guy and Brittany Cirnigliaro at No. 1, 6-3, 6-0. Munez and Nixon beat Beard and Prahasky, 6-3, 7-5.
Nature Coast’s boys won their semifinal against Fivay, 4-1. Dakota Willey beat Ryan Savoldy at No. 1, 6-0, 6-1, Charles Buckner defeated Justin Starling at No. 2, 6-2, 3-0 (retired), Hunter Schwefringhaus topped Dylan Rodenbaugh at No. 3, 7-5, 7-5, and Roger Sniffen downed Hunter Wolowicz, 6-2, 4-6, 10-6.
However, the Sharks (18-2) did not fare as well in Thursday’s final, as they fell at Hudson, 4-3. Willey won at No. 1 versus Eric LaRoche, 6-2, 6-2, and also combined with Schwefringhaus to defeat LaRoche and Jeff Waitkevich in No. 1 doubles, 6-2, 6-1. Carter McNamara added a 4-6, 6-4, 10-3 win at No. 5 over Phillip Waitkevich.
Meanwhile, Springstead’s boys dropped a semifinal versus Land O’ Lakes at Delta Woods Park, 5-2. Zachary Binder at No. 5 defeated Bryan Reeder, 2-6, 6-3, 10-8, while Alex Hoover and Sammy DeAngelis garnered an 8-4 win over Albert Xing and Maxwell Keenan at No. 1 doubles for the Eagles (8-3).
Also on Tuesday, Weeki Wachee held the Citrus-Hernando Track Meet. Nature Coast’s boys cruised to a first-place finish, tallying 180 points compared to 102 by the host Hornets. The Lady Sharks also won by a considerably closer margin, 153.83-144.83 over Lecanto.
For the boys, DeShawn Smith crossed the finish line first in the 100-meter dash (11.27). Jacob Grantz outraced everyone in the 400 (51.55), Marc Preston came in first in the 300 hurdles (42.89), Austin Mulyck took the 3,200 in a time of 10:14.76 and Willie Coffey won the shot put (49-11).
Brian Haygood, Taye Moodie, Smith and Dontay Washington teamed for a first-place 43.69 in the 4×100. Grantz, Kyle Pierce, Saban Reiter and Smith captured the 4×400 (3:38.09).
“I think they did well. We’ve been working hard,” Nature Coast boys track coach Rudy Story said. “We’ve had a little adversity along the way, couple injuries here and there. But overall we have a tough group of kids, and they love to compete. Everything worked out well.
“Really it’s just another meet. You love to be the best in your county, but at the end of the day that district championship is what you really want to be holding in your hand.”
Adam Macchionne from Weeki Wachee took the 800 in 2:07.44, and teammate Marcus Jones won the 110 hurdles behind a 15.47. Fellow Hornet Thomas Tolbert topped the field in the discus with a 124-1 toss.
Nature Coast senior Ashley Gentz notched multiple victories on the girls side, including the 200 (25.55), the 400 (58.55) and long jump (15-9). Junior Kaitlyn Pierce tacked on a first in the 100 (12.68).
Velma Brinson, Gentz, Eboni Johnson and Pierce won the 4×400 (4:10.93), and Aliyah Dipalma, Emily Escamilla, Leah Marville and Johnson did the same in the 4×800 (10:30.68).
“Absolutely thrilled. It was not necessarily expected. We knew it would be close between us and Lecanto,” Nature Coast girls track coach Nikki Pierce said. “We just ask our athletes to do everything they can and if we pull out a win, we pull out a win.
“We just look at it and tell our athletes this is another meet. It’s not districts. But we come into it for the bragging rights and just doing what we can.”
Springstead’s Tia Crawford, Ashtereya Marchan, Alyssa Menendez and Dai’jeah Thompson placed first in the 4×100 with a 51.82. Kaitlyn Batten from Hernando posted the fastest time in the 100 hurdles (16.98).
Local softball teams wrapped up the regular season this past week, and Springstead moved to 23-1 thanks to wins over Central on Thursday, 11-1, and Hernando on Friday, 7-0.
Nature Coast (21-4) lost at South Sumter on Tuesday, 6-4, then beat Wesley Chapel on Wednesday, 7-0. Prior to the Springstead loss, Hernando (14-10) knocked off Zephyrhills on Tuesday, 2-0, and Weeki Wachee on Wednesday, 3-1.
On the baseball diamond, Nature Coast (17-3) collected wins over Fivay on Monday, 15-2, Gulf on Tuesday, 10-7, and Citrus on Thursday, 8-1. Springstead (16-6) lost to Hernando on Tuesday, 8-7, and Bishop McLaughlin Catholic on Wednesday, 5-1.
The Leopards (14-9) had a strong week, tacking on a Wednesday triumph against Gulf, 11-0, a 19-1 victory versus Central on Friday and a 4-3 win over Lakeland on Saturday. The Bears (12-10) had topped Fivay on Tuesday, 6-0.
Follow Chris Bernhardt Jr. on Twitter @cpbernhardtjr.