Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - Flour Bluff flexes muscles in district team tennis final

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Wednesday, October 20, 1999

Flour Bluff flexes muscles in district team tennis final
Hornets claim five of seven doubles matches on the way to capturing District 31-4A championship over G-P, 10-3
By George Vondracek
Caller-Times

George Gongora/Caller-Times

Flour Bluff's Blaire Pittman lines up a return Tuesday in the District 31-4A championhip match. The Hornets defeated G-P, 10-3.

Exacting revenge and winning a district team tennis title wasn't enough for Flour Bluff High School Tuesday. There was a message to be sent to the voters in the statewide Class 4A rankings.
   Winning five of seven doubles matches provided the impetus for the Hornets to beat Gregory-Portland, 10-3, in the District 31-4A final at the H.E.B. Tennis Center. The finale was delayed by 24 hours because of Monday's rain.
   Both teams advance to the Region IV-4A tournament Oct. 29-30 in San Antonio, with the Bluff assured a better seeding after erasing a 10-9 loss to T-M in round-robin play.
   "I think we've proven with this tournament that we're the top team," Bluff coach Susan McCarn said. "I mean, beating the runner-up, 10-3, says something. I will say this: Our kids have been anticipating this since Sept. 11."
   The rankings released after T-M's 10-9 win, the Bluff tumbled from No. 6 to No. 12. The Warriors moved into the No. 11 slot in the Texas Tennis Coaches Association poll.
   "We were pretty much shocked," said Bluff senior Blaire Pittman, one of three players hampered by the flu in that first meeting. "It kind of set us back a lot. But it helped us in (the) district (tournament). We never wanted a match so bad. We needed it for our state ranking."
   The Warriors pulled within 7-3 behind their No. 1 girls singles player, Denis Rodriguez, who scored a 6-2, 6-1 win over Jackie Robles. But the Bluff won the next three singles matches, icing the match on Chad Johnson's straight-set in No. 4 boys singles.
   T-M found itself in a similar position as the Bluff. In the semis, the Warriors had to beat Gregory-Portland, which owned a win over T-M in round-robin play.
   "When we had to come back against G-P, I felt good about that," T-M coach Ralph Davis said. "I didn't feel good about it against the Bluff."
   Still, both teams are expecting good seeds at the regional at the McFarlin Tennis Center. The top seed, however, will belong to top-ranked Alamo Heights.
   "I think we'll be fine," David said. "Hopefully, we'll get a 3 or 4 seed at the (regional) tournament. I'd be happy if we could pull that off."

   31-4A TEAM TENNIS FINAL

   Flour Bluff 10, Tuloso-Midway 3

   Mixed doubles - Lesley Kenyon-Cody Allen, FB, def. Morgan Moses-Valerie Martinez, T-M, 7-6 (7-2), 6-2.
   Boys - Doubles: No. 1, Reid Strand-Jason Gould, FB, def. Robert Anguiano-Luis Roman, T-M, 6-2, 6-0; No. 2, Chad Johnson-Travis Gould, FB, def. Patrick Dosser-Jordan Freeman, T-M, 6-4, 2-6, 6-1; No. 3, Michael Hall-Jeff Richter, FB, def. John Dosser-J.J. Cantu, T-M, 6-3, 6-3. Singles: No. 1, Strand, FB, def. Anguiano, T-M, 6-1, 6-0; No. 2 J. Gould, FB, def. Roman, FB, 6-1, 6-2; No. 3, T.Gould, FB, def. P. Dosser, T-M, 6-2, 6-2; No. 4, Johnson, FB, def. J. Dosser, T-M, 6-3, 6-1.

   Girls - Doubles: No. 1, Denise Rodriguez-Amy Payne, T-M, def. Blaire Pittman-Jackie Robles, FB, 6-4, 7-6 (9-7); No. 2, Kori Schircliffe-Roni Martinez, T-M, def. Kristin Bell-Aeryn Guion, FB, 6-2, 6-7 (10-8), 6-0; No. 3, Angie Guerrero-Steffanie Caraway, FB, def. Casie Gray-Trisha Nesrsta, T-M, 6-4, 7-6 (8-6). Singles: No. 1, Rodriguez, T-M, def. Robles, FB, 6-2, 6-1; No. 2, Pittman, FB, def. Payne, FB, 6-2, 6-4.



Staff writer George Vondracek can be reached at 886-3731 or by e-mail at vondracekg@caller.com

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