Notre Dame has 2 tournaments; Northview’s Miller at state tennis
10/17/2012Notre Dame Academy's tennis team is preparing for a busy weekend.
The Eagles have two doubles teams qualified to play in the Division I state tennis tournament.
Furthermore, the Notre Dame squad is also participating in the state team competition for a fifth straight season under coach Kim Pacella.
Notre Dame seniors Lindsay Clark and Kerigan McNamara represent one doubles team while sophomore Teagan McNamara and freshman Alicia Nahhas make up the Eagles' other state qualifying duo set to compete on Friday at Ohio State's outdoor tennis facility.
“This really reflects the depth on our team,” Pacella said. “We don't have just one good player. We have a pretty solid and deep team.”
Clark and McNamara will face North Canton Hoover's Lauren Daugherty and Alivia Arnold while the district champion doubles team of Nahhas-McNamara are set to take on North Canton Hoover's Natalie Bourlas and Nicollette Bourlas.
The Eagles coach expects a good showing from both Notre Dame teams. Clark and McNamara head to state with a 23-3 doubles record for the season. Nahhas and McNamara, who spent most of the season serving as the Eagles No. 1 and No. 2 singles players, respectively, enter state with a 10-0 record in doubles.
“They know what to expect and they know if they lose they're done, so I think we'll be OK,” Pacella said.
The Eagles' weekend will conclude with competing in the state team competition. Nahhas, Teagan McNamara, and Nina Eid will compete in singles play while the Clark-McNamara doubles team will take their skills and experience into team competiton. The No. 2 doubles team will involve Jordan Cady playing alongside either Madelyn Denning or Nikita Ajmera. Pacella plans to determine the second doubles team prior to match play.
Nonetheless, the Eagles are looking to break a string of four years finishing fourth in the team competition.
Northview junior Megan Miller also qualified for the D-I singles competition and will face Dublin Coffman freshman Ashley Tan in an opening round match.
Oak Harbor senior Ashley LaFountain and Maumee Valley Country Day junior Rochell Issa are set to compete in the D-II singles competition. LaFountain faces Tipp City Tippecanoe senior Sierra Nellessen while Issa is preparing to take on Portsmouth junior Ali Miller.
Ottawa Hills senior Shivani Bhatt and freshman Lilly Boice are taking on Columbus School for Girls' Tiffany Lau and Mary Anne Click in an opening round D-II doubles match.
Northview's Graeff set for state golf
Adam Graeff hoped to be competing at the Division I state golf tournament alongside his Northview teammates.
However, Graeff will be the lone player from Northview on the Ohio State Scarlet Golf Course on Friday.
The Northview senior qualified for state as an individual with a district round of 79 and Wildcats coach Mike Czerniakowski believes his top golfer will be ready for the challenge.
“He's been playing a lot of golf,” Czerniakowski said. “He's played a lot of courses. We're looking for him to play his game. You're either ready to do it or you're not.”
Graeff will not be the lone golfer from northwest Ohio.
St. Francis seniors Hayden Austin, Lee Rinker, Josh Williams, Nick Mitchell, and JT Schlembach qualified for state and will represent the Three Rivers Athletic Conference. Findlay seniors Eli Stacy, Mason McCool, Earl Streaker, sophomore Spencer Shoemaker, and freshman Trevor St. Jean will also represent the TRAC. Clyde's Garret Rupert shot 78 at district play to also qualify for state as an individual.
St. Ursula junior Jessica Antypas, sophomores Monica Torda, Emily Antypas, Kathryn Young, and freshman Lizzie Win will play in the D-I girls state tournament. Findlay seniors Erin Scoby, Taylor Tweed, Kelly Rowe, junior Emi Okada, and sophomore Suzanne Short are also competing in the D-I team competition.
Green Bears golfers place fourth at state
Ottawa Hills' junior Ben Silverman placed seventh overall in the Division III state golf tournament to lead the Green Bears to a fourth-place finish in the team standings with a score of 653.
Silverman shot a 36-hole total of 154 during the state competition held over the weekend at Sunbury's North Star Golf Resort. The Green Bears' top golfer finished 10 shots behind Gates Mills Gilmour Academy's Andrew Bieber, who posted a winning score of 144 and was the only D-III golfer to shoot in the 140s.
Ashland Crestview won the team championship with 646 points, followed by Columbus Wellington 651, Gahanna Columbus Academy 651, Ottawa Hills 653, and Lima Central Catholic 654, respectively, to round out the top five.
Silverman shot a round of 78 on the first day of competition before coming back with a 76.
Tiffin Calvert's Jeremy Hanna and Fremont St. Joseph Central Catholic's Connor Dudley finished with a 36-hole total of 161 apiece and ended up among a four-way tie for 16th place overall.
Ottawa Hills' Michael Denner shot 164 and placed 24th while his teammates Brian Hoeflinger and Matt Abendroth shot 168 apiece to finish tied for 34th. Ben Dayton had a score of 174 to place 44th for Ottawa Hills.
In Division II, Wauseon finished eighth in the team standings with a score of 696 while Bryan finished 10th with 719 on the Scarlet Course at Ohio State.
Wauseon's Trevor Dominique and Trey Rupp shot 173 apiece to tie for 32nd to lead the Indians. Clay Tefft and David Williams scored 176 apiece to finish tied for 40th while Brady Rupp finished with 189 (66th).
Bryan's Luke Shaffer posted a score of 167 for 21st place and teammate David Miller posted a two-day total of 170 (tied for 24th). Shea Vogelsong scored 186 (64th), Jaret Miller 196 (70th), and Bailey Martin 206 (72nd).
Liberty Center's Tyler Davis recorded a score of 172 (tied for 30th).
Contact Donald Emmons at: demmons@theblade.com, 419-724-6302 or on Twitter @DemmonsBlade.