THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 4, 1995 TAG: 9506020257
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 24 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines
LAKELAND'S CHARGE towards a second girls tennis team title ended abruptly and emphatically at Poquoson High School Thursday, as Handley took five of six singles matches and captured the Group AA title.
``I think we ran up against a great team,'' Lakeland coach Anne Bender said as her players finished up the meaningless doubles matches. ``They played well and they deserved to win.''
The respectable nature of the final score, 5-4, is deceptive as Lakeland got three of its points in the doubles. But Handley (21-0) had things well in hand before the teams ever took the court. The Judges' top three players, No. 5 Alison Cole and No. 6 Natalie Jenkins, scored easy straight-sets victories, with No. 3 Kate Shea's 6-4, 6-1 win over Angela Jones providing the clincher.
The loss, Lakeland's first in 11 matches, ended the Cavaliers' quest to join the 1993 girls tennis team as the school's only state team champions. But it did little to diminish what has otherwise been another stellar season. The Cavaliers picked up their third straight Bay Rivers District and third straight Region I titles along the way, had the regional singles champion in Mary Donnan Debranski and the regional doubles champs in Debranski and Kelly Lewis.
They also survived a gut-check in the state semifinals on Tuesday before nipping Region III champion Salem, 5-4, in what Bender called ``the toughest match all season.'' Angela Jones and Dawn Harrell broke a 4-4 tie with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 victory at No. 2 doubles.
Remarkably, Lakeland won despite suffering losses by its top three players in singles.
``That's what I've been saying all year,'' Bender said. ``When you get to this level, your lower singles have to come through. Ours did.''
The team match was only the start of a marathon day of tennis for Debranski, who later dropped a 6-1, 6-0 decision to Meghan Mahan of Western Albermarle in the state singles semifinals, then fell in three sets with partner Lewis in the state doubles semifinals to Fort Defiance's Kay Hill and Amy Wells.
Debranski, who struck her first ball Wednesday at just after 9 a.m., didn't finish playing until 7:30 p.m.
After a season of being focused on bringing a second state championship banner to Lakeland, some Cavaliers were visably distraught over falling to Handley. One player broke down in tears.
But it didn't take long for Bender to put Thursday's result in perspective.
``How many Group AA teams play tennis?'' the coach wondered aloud before scurrying off to find the answer.
``About forty-five,'' she said upon returning. ``And we finished second. That's not too bad.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Lakeland's Angela Jones lost 6-4, 6-1 to Handley's Kate Shea in the
Group AA championship.
by CNB