LAKELAND — The McKeel girls tennis team is a regular visit to the state tournament and after defeating Citrus, 4-0, in the Class 2A, Region 4 semifinals the Wildcats are on the verge of going back this season.
McKeel can clinch the team’s trip to Altamonte Spring when it plays in the regional finals at 3 p.m. on Thursday at the Beerman Family Tennis Center.
“I was very confident,” McKeel coach Valerie Kendrick said about her feeling going into Tuesday’s matches. “I’m always confined in my girls. Coming into today — maybe a little anxious but definitely very confident.”
McKeel had little trouble in its matches against Citrus. In singles, Briley Davis defeated Hannah Hughes, 6-0, 6-2 at No. 1; Ashley Opderbeck defeated Camryn Brunner, 6-0, 6-0, at No. 5.
In doubles action, Davis and Ciara Smith defeated Hughes and Grace Berlin, 4-0, 4-0, and Leia Johnson and Aniya Kendrick defeated Sophie Albert and Charlotte Hughes, 4-0, 4-0.
In the three singles matches still under way, Smith was leading Berlin, 6-3, 1-0, at No. 2; Johnson was leading Albert, 6-1, 4-1, at No. 3, and Kendrick was leading Anyah Chvala, 6-2, 4-0.
“Briley steppedright on in, and she’s been doing very well in that spot,” Valerie Kendrick said. “She’s been handling it very well this year, so I’m very proud of her.”
Davis won 10 straight matches before losing to McKenna Battilla in the overall county finals. She also fell to Usoolisa Mba in a tight district final.
“It was a long match,” Kendrick said. “It was a very tough match. It’s always tough at No. 1. That’s one of the hardest positions to be on the team.”
McKeel now will face the Tampa Holy Names-Hernando winner in the region finals. If it’s Holy Names, it will be a familiar opponent. At the district tournament, McKeel and Holy Names faced off at all seven positions at some point and won five of the sevens spots, including Davis’ win at No. 1.
“My girls, I think they’re ready so we’ll see,” Valerie Kendrick said. “The goal is to get to state. That is like the No. 1 goal.”
McKeel boys looking for 1st trip to state
The McKeel boys are now one match away of advancing to the state tournament as a team for the first time in team history. The Wildcats knocked off Crystal River, 4-0, in the 2A-4 semifinals.
McKeel, which lost just its No. 5 singles player from last season and doesn’t have senior on the team this year, advanced to the regional finals and will play Citrus on Thursday.
In singles play, Kyle Kopp defeated Owen Hastings, 6-2, 6-3, at No. 4, and Abram Fallow defeated Mason Antill, 7-5, 6-1, at No. 5.
In doubles action, Davin Twiss and Keith Kopp defeated Jackson Meek and Brayden Wulff, 4-2, 4-0, at No. 1, and Colton Smith and Kyle Kopp defeated Turner Messer and Hastings, 4-1, 4-0, at No. 2.
In the other singles actions, Twiss was leading the second set after losing the first in a close match, 4-6, 2-1, at No. 1. Keith Kopp was leading Wulff, 6-6 (6-3), and Smith was leading Messer, 6-2, 3-0.
McKeel coach Benjamin Arnold was confident in his team’s chances going into Tuesday’s matches, and that confidence began at the start of the season.
“When we came into the season and we did tryouts,” Arnold said. “I felt like I was looking almost at a new team because everyone’s game was so much higher, and they were more excited because you know we had a couple of our kids go to states last year. So they were very amped, and they looked like a much stronger team.”
Auburndale girls come up short
When Hannah Windham won her match at No. 2 singles, Auburndale led Wesley Chapel, 3-2, with two matches to play. Wesley Chapel, however, won the last two matches to come from behind for a 4-3 victory in the Class 3A, Region 4 semifinals at Kelly Rec.
The two teams split the doubles to begin the match with McKenna Battilla and Windham winning at No. 1 doubles for the Bloodhounds.
Battilla’s victory at No. 2 singles gave Auburndale its second win before Windham won her match.
Although the team didn’t advance, two Auburndale players will compete at the state tournament. By winning districts, Battilla will play in the individuals bracket at No. 1 singles, and Battilla and Windham will play at No. 1 doubles.
Elsewhere
In Class 4A, Region 4, Winter Haven girls fell to Newsome, 4-2. The Lake Wales boys lost to Wiregrass Ranch, 5-0, in Class 3A.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: McKeel girls, boys cruise in semis; Auburndale girls fall in close match
Reporting by Roy Fuoco, Lakeland Ledger / The Ledger
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
