January 25th, 2016
Cape Coral, Casselberry, Gainesville, Ocala Win USTA Florida League Sectionals Tennis Titles
Alachua County (Jonesville Tennis Center, Gainesville), Lee/Charlotte counties (Cape Coral Racquet Club), Marion County (Ft. King Tennis Center, Ocala), and Orange/Seminole counties (Red Bug Lake Park, Casselberry) won USTA Florida League Sectionals titles over the weekend at the USTA Florida Combo 18 & Over 6.5/8.5 League Sectional Championships, held Jan. 22-24, 2016 at the Florida Tennis Center in Daytona Beach.
Marion and Orange/Seminole counties each came within a match of claiming two titles. The Marion men were edged 2-1 in the 6.5 final, and the Orange/Seminole women fell 2-1 in the Women’s 8.5 final.
The Orange/Seminole women won the 6.5 division in dominating fashion 3-0 without dropping a set against Escambia County.
The competing teams represented various clubs, parks or facilities that finished at the top of their local leagues in the state of Florida to advance to the USTA Florida Combo 18 & Over Sectional Championships, part of the 2015 USTA Florida League season.
Pinellas County (7 titles) holds a lead over Broward, Marion and Orange/Seminole counties (5 titles each) for the final bragging rights as USTA Florida League county champion for the 2015 season (see chart below).
Here are the winners and finalists from this past weekend:
Combo 18 & Over 6.5 Men
Final: Alachua County (Jonesville Tennis Center, Gainesville) d. Marion County (Ft. King Tennis Center, Ocala) 2-1
Championship Match:
No. 1 Doubles: Scott Anthony/James Saxon (Marion) d. Christopher Balamucki/Eric Erskine 6-4, 7-6
No. 2 Doubles: Chad Schafer/Jeffrey Burdge (Alachua) d. Luis Rosario/Paul Petsche 7-6, 4-6, 1-0 (super-tiebreak)
No. 3 Doubles: Josh Roberts/Albert Sloan (Alachua) d. Darin Brown/Dwayne Molock 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (super-tiebreak)
Alachua Season Roster: Chad Schafer (captain), Rupen Shah, Eric Erskine, Josh Roberts, Edward Thompson, Christopher Balamucki, Derek Wilson, Peter Mauro, John Brandt, Jeffrey Burdge, Antonio Espetia, Brent Lira, Daniel Seng, Aaron Able, Albert Sloan
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Combo 18 & Over 6.5 Women
Final: Orange/Seminole counties (Red Bug Lake Park, Casselberry), d. Escambia County (Roger Scott Tennis Center, Pensacola) 3-0
Championship Match:
No. 1 Doubles: Lynn Piper/Jennifer Carter (O/S) d. Kristyn Miller/Kimberly Andrews 6-2, 6-1
No. 2 Doubles: Alison Hanshaft/Isabelle Welsh (O/S) d. Jessica Schultheis/Kenzier McIntyre 6-2, 6-3
No. 3 Doubles: Madelyn Escudero/Brandi Holston (O/S) d. Rachel Trahan/Anne Elidemir 6-1, 6-3
Orange/Seminole Season Roster: Madelyn Escudero (captain), Sarah Zimmer, Kristina Godiksen, Timea Manfredi, Cherie DePriest, Alvida Groom, Sandra Montes, Sherene Lewis, Alison Hanshaft, Brandi Holston, Isabelle Welsh, Jennifer Carter, Lynn Piper, Erin Brown
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Combo 18 & Over 8.5 Men
Final: Lee/Charlotte counties (Cape Coral Racquet Club, Cape Coral) d. Sarasota/Manatee counties (Payne Park, Sarasota) 2-1
Championship Match:
No. 1 Doubles: Robert Greenlaw/Greg Bella (L/S) d. Duncan Crowley/Philip Crutchfield 6-3, 6-4
No. 2 Doubles: Nick Hardy/Leonard Belli (S/M) d. Jean Perez/Nick Boye 6-4, 6-0
No. 3 Doubles: Joel Hampton/Scott Dennis (L/S) d. Dale Slimick/Tim Mihm 6-2, 6-0
Lee/Charlotte Season Roster: Scott Dennis (captain), James Cahill, Jean Perez, Greg Bella, Byron Higgins, Fredrick Hindle, John Ruehle, Nick Boye, Joel Hampton, Robert Greenlaw
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Combo 18 & Over 8.5 Women
Final: Marion County (Ft. King Tennis Center, Ocala) d. Orange/Seminole counties (Sanlando Park, Altamonte Springs) 2-1
Championship Match:
No. 1 Doubles: Christy Drawdy/Amy Graham (Marion) d. Beverly Osterink/Diana Anderson 6-3, 6-3
No. 2 Doubles: Corri Yelken/Debby Watts (Marion) d. Lindsay Pearlman/Becky Cusick 6-4, 7-6
No. 3 Doubles: Stacy Girdley/Angela Larisey (O/S) d. Cammie McLeod/Tina Shuman 6-4, 6-7, 1-0 (super-tiebreak)
Marion Season Roster: Corri Yelken (captain), Jackie Sirmopoulos, Cammie McLeod, Leigh Chak, Debra Bianculli, Amy Graham, Debby Watts, Nicole Wigelsworth, Susie Anthony, Lynn Swets, Christy Drawdy, Susan Garrick, Lisa McTaggart, Tina Shuman
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For Combo 18 & Over 6.5/8.5 division play, the combined NTRP (National Tennis Rating Program) ratings of each doubles team may not exceed the level/division in which they are competing, and the NTRP rating difference between members of an individual doubles pair may not exceed 0.5. For more information on NTRP levels go to www.usta.com/Adult-Tennis/USTA-League/Information/About_NTRP.
For more info go to www.ustaflorida.com/event/2015-combo-18-6-58-5-league-sectional-championships.
2015 USTA FLORIDA ADULT LEAGUE
SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE LEADERS
The final event of the 2015 league year will be the 2015 Tri-Level League Playoffs on Feb. 5-7 at the Florida Tennis Center in Daytona Beach. Pinellas County remains in the top spot on the leaderboard for USTA Florida League Sectionals titles thus far in 2015, with Marion County and Orange/Seminole counties moving into a 2nd place tie with Broward (through Jan. 25, recent winners in bold):
1. Pinellas County (7 titles) — 65 & Over M8.0, W8.0, Mixed 40 & Over 9.0, 40 & Over W4.0, 40 & Over M3.5, 40 & Over M4.5+, Mixed 55 & Over 8.0
2T. Broward County (5) — 55 & Over W4.5, 18 & Over W4.0 & M5.0+, 18 & Over W4.5, Combo 18 & Over M7.5
2T. Marion County (5) — 40 & Over W3.0, 18 & Over M2.5, Mixed 18 & Over 7.0, Combo 18 & Over W5.5, Combo 18 & Over W8.5
2T. Orange/Seminole counties (5) — Mixed 40 & Over 7.0, 18 & Over W3.0, 18 & Over W3.5, Combo 18 & Over W7.5, Combo 18 & Over W6.5
5T. Duval County (4) — 65 & Over W6.0, 55 & Over W4.0, 55 & Over M3.5, 18 & Over W2.5
5T. Hillsborough County (4) — 55 & Over M4.0, 40 & Over W4.5+, 18 & Over W5.0+, Combo 50 & Over M8.5
5T. Indian River/St. Lucie/Martin counties (4) — 65 & Over W7.0, 55 & Over W3.5, Mixed 18 & Over 8.0, Combo 50 & Over W7.5
8T. Alachua County (3) — Mixed 18 & Over 2.5, Combo 50 & Over M6.5, Combo 18 & Over M6.5
8T. Leon County (3) — 40 & Over M3.0, 18 & Over M3.5, Combo 18 & Over M5.5
8T. Miami-Dade County (3) — 40 & Over M4.0, 18 & Over M4.0, 18 & Over M4.5
8T. Lee/Charlotte counties (3) — 65 & Over M7.0, Combo 50 & Over M7.5, Combo 18 & Over M8.5
12T. Sarasota/Manatee counties (3) — 55 & Over M4.5, Mixed 18 & Over 9.0, Combo 50 & Over W8.5
12T. Volusia/Flagler counties (3) — Mixed 40 & Over 6.0, 18 & Over M3.0, Mixed 55 & Over 7.0
14T. Collier County (2) — 55 & Over W3.0, Combo 50 & Over W6.5
14T. Escambia County (2) — Mixed 40 & Over 8.0, 40 & Over W3.5
16T. Brevard County (1) — Mixed 18 & Over 10.0
16T. Clay County (1) — Mixed 18 & Over 6.0
16T. Okaloosa/Walton counties (1) — Combo 18 & Over M9.5
For more info on USTA Florida Leagues go to www.ustaflorida.com/leagues.
