Thoughts on Division II State Girls Tournament

[TrojanHorse]

The East/Southeast District has four strong contenders for the State girls tennis tournament to be held at OSU October 23 & 24.

Emily Dawson (Lisbon Beaver who made it to the state last year as a freshman) and Courtney Pierron (Wheelersburg junior) should both bring quality games to the state girls tournament.

Likewise the West Homes doubles team of freshman Rachel Nelson and senior sister Mary, should be a major contender for championship. There have been 13 Nelsons compete at the state level with 3 Nelsons winning state titles. The strongest player of the two is the younger Rachel. They play an awesome game.

While not as strong a team as the Nelsons, the doubles team from Miami Trace (Washington CH) Sydney Wilson and Jenna Cobb should do well. They are the first girls tennis players from Miami Trace to make it to the state.

Last year's State Division II singles winner, freshman Lauren Davis, did not choose to play in the northeast districts due to a US Open junior qualifier in which she qualified to play in the 2010 US OPEN. So she will not be at the state tournament. All of the other quarter-finalists from last year's state Gabby Steele last year's runner-up, Riley Banks the third place winner, and Mariah Mostardi all graduated.

In the central division (Columbus) which also sends 2 district qualifiers (last year the C/E/SE has three) to the state tournament, last year's state qualifier Nisha Crouser (who beat both Emily Dawson and Wheelersburg's Lauren Dever in last year's districts) failed to qualify for the state having lost to L Thai of Hilliard Bradley. The other qualifier from the central district will be Morales from Hartley. Both of these girls did not play in last years state tournament.

The northwest district will have 2 qualifiers while the northeast (Cleveland) and southwest (Cincinnati) districts will each have 5 qualifiers. No doubt both of these districts will have field very strong contenders.

In the doubles tournament, the team of Corinne Rauck and Madison Morton of Bexley who placed third in the state last year return to this year's state tournament representing the central division. They should have a good chance to win this year's state doubles.

Good luck to all of the qualifiers from the east and southeast district.