TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Highlands Today

Sebring Serves Up A Sweep In Tennis

Streak Girls Earn Revenge; Sebring Boys Blank AP

Chris Hoffman/Highlands Today

Mike Reed piled up the forehand winners to beat Avon Park’s John Honnicutt 6-0, 6-2.

ADVERTISEMENT

By Christopher  Hoffman | Highlands Today

Published: February 20, 2008

AVON PARK — Senior Mary Midence's intensity on the court showed everyone that this was the most important match this season thus far for the Sebring girls tennis team.

After all, it was against Avon Park.

"I was so nervous when I started the match," Midence said. "I lost all my matches to Tiffani [Gregor] last year and as a team, we lost every time we played Avon Park. I couldn't have that hanging over my head all year."

Midence was pushed to the limit by Avon Park's Angie Carrillo and came close to being ousted in straight sets, but rallied from a blowout in the first set for a 1-6, 7-5, 6-4 comeback victory, as the Streak girls defeated the Red Devils 6-1 at South Florida Community College courts on Tuesday.

"I'm so excited to have won," said a visibly tired Midence. "It was aggravating not beating them last season.

"[Angie] has a really good crossing shot and I had to calm down and make some adjustments after the first set. I was able to cut off the angles and hit some winners."

Avon Park had earned a sweep over Sebring last year for the first time during Blue Streak head coach Jane Hollinger's 10-year tenure with SHS, and the coach vowed it wouldn't happen again.

"My girls came out today ready to win," Hollinger said. "They played a lot of emotion today and I think that hurt Mary, who was forcing the action too much early in her match."

Carrillo looked sharp in her first match of the year. The Avon Park No. 1 singles player showed great form and kept Midence off-balance with her forehand winners. But soft shots into the net caused Red Devil head coach Don Hickman to note the lack of power in her shot.

"It all comes down to conditioning," Hickman said. "I'm trying to teach the girls to breathe right so they can relax and stay more focused on their match. This was only our first match — we'll get better."

Carrillo knew she had let an opportunity to beat Midence slip away.

"I just lost my concentration," Carrillo said. "I know I could have won that match. I just need to be more consistent and hit my shots."

Avon Park's Bailey Barben fought off a gusty performance by Sheela Joshi to win 6-4, 6-0, but the other singles matches went the way of the Blue Streaks.

Sophomore Kelsi Johnson defeated Ashley Falls 7-6, 6-2 and Ashley Jiminez dispatched Melissa Tullo in straight sets 6-1, 6-0, while senior Leeza Freeland beat Alex Garcia 6-0, 6-1 to round out the singles action.

Freeland's spirited performance impressed her coach. The second-year player is seeded in the top-five this season.

"I really wish I'd had her as a freshman," Hollinger said. "She's such a competitor and never gives up.
"Give me an athlete and I'll teach them. That's what she is ... a pure athlete."

In the doubles matches, Midence and Johnson defeated the team of Carrillo and Falis 8-2 and the No. 2 doubles team of Joshi and Jimenez beat Barben and Tullo 6-3, 6-4.

The Streaks are back on the court today against DeSoto, while the Red Devils travel to face Braden River. Both matches are set for 4 p.m.

BOYS TENNIS: Sebring 7, Avon Park 0
SEBRING — Avon Park head coach Lucky Dixon knows what it takes to play tennis at a high level, but his Red Devils are lacking that one ingredient to get them over the final hurdle.

"Inexperience, inexperience, inexperience," Dixon said. "We have seniors on the team but they don't have that much competition experience. For some, this is their first taste of competitive tennis.

"It normally takes two years after picking up the sport of tennis before you're ready to play at a competitive level, and most of these boys don't have that kind of time in."

The results against arch-rival Sebring backed up Dixon's assessment of his squad, as the Streaks defeated the Red Devils 7-0 at Sun 'N Lake tennis courts on Tuesday.

Jake Broen, Sebring's No. 1 seed, played a very technical match against Avon Park's Zach Lehman, winning 6-1, 6-0, but he still noticed a few adjustments he needed to make to his game.

"I have to quit getting greedy," Broen said. "That's why I dropped a set. I just need to stay consistent and hit winners."

Broen was playing in just his second match of the season, using a good first serve and hitting to Lehman's backhand, which continually went into the net.

"I think I'm doing pretty good, especially with my serve," Broen said. "But the real test will be against DeSoto. They beat us twice last year and that'll be a good gauge to see where I stand and where we stand as a team."

Mike Reed piled up the forehand winners to beat Avon Park's John Honnicutt 6-0, 6-2, while Abhi Seetharah blanked Scott Evans 6-0, 6-0 in No. 2- and No. 3-seed matches.

Kyle Komisar blew past Robert Becerra 6-1, 6-0 and sophomore Nikhil Raghuveera defeated Jonathan Peterson 6-1, 6-1 to earn high praise from his coach.

"By the time [Nikhil] is a senior, he'll be a very accomplished tennis player," said Sebring head coach Jack Holt. "A player he and his parents can be proud of."

In doubles action, Broen and Vihang Nakhate were victorious over the team of Lehman and Evans 8-4, while Reed and Canton beat Honnicutt and Beccerra 8-2 in an eight-game pro set.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT