Tennis preview: Lady Longhorns, Storm favored

Home

Track and Field

Other Sun Publications

FREE DELIVERY!
Get Free Delivery! Request your Osceola News Gazette Today.

Login Form

2013 Osceola Health

2013 Sexual Predator Sexual Offender List sexualpredatorcover13

Windows on the Classroom March 2013

School Calendar
2012-2013

View our other Special Sections

Tennis preview: Lady Longhorns, Storm favored

Sports

Thursday, 28 February 2013 07:45

The defending OBC champions look like regional playoff teams
By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor
Celebration’s boys and Harmony’s girls are the defending Orange Belt Conference champions, and both teams have the talent to successfully defend.
They also have the potential to place among the top two teams in 3A District 8, which would advance them to the regional tournament. Celebration
Celebration has dominated the Orange Belt Conference boys standings for the past two seasons and is favored to win again with a veteran lineup under Coach Bob Tripp.
Five players return including senior No. 1 Richard Cruz, No. 2 junior Jacob Glodde, No. 3 sophomore Dante Cruz, No. 4 senior Luis Penagos and No. 5 sophomore Alejandro Hernandez.
The Cruzes will team at No. 1 doubles and Glodde and Penagos will play No. 2 doubles.
Tripp said Melbourne is the team to beat in District 3A-8.
“Like last year, it may come down to a tie for second place with Eau Gallie,” Tripp said. “Cruz and Cruz will make a strong showing in doubles and should come in first, second, or third in the district. Richard Cruz should make a strong showing in the OBC as the No. 1 singles player.”
Newcomers this season are seniors Jay Summerville and Cody Rubin, junior Ben Callaghan, sophomore Aahil Ali and freshman Kevin DeVos.
Coach Catherine Thames takes over the girls program, which has two lettermen in sophomores Sydney Lowell and Maija Sunnarbord.
Also playing are sophomores Emily Carter, Reema Salen, Maria Santana, Hanna Wagner, Jane Wheeler and Amy Young. Freshmen Chevy Harrington and Samina Mehmood also are on the roster.
Harmony
The Lady Longhorns dominated in the OBC last season and placed second at the district tournament under Coach Jerry Piester.
Four of the team’s top five players return.
The newcomer is No. 1 Savannah Jones.
Rounding out the top five are No. 2 Lauren Grego, No. 3 Addison Hickey, No. 4 Olivia Porter and No. 5 Adreinne Roberts.
The team also has depth with Stephanie Simandl, Hali Pierson and Andrea Juron.
Piester has upgraded the regular season schedule to prepare the team for the postseason.
“It’s important for us to play against strong competition. We have a chance to do very well in the district and regional tournaments,” Piester said.
The boys team is coached by Ann Moss.
Gateway
Allen Center is the new Panthers coach.
His squad includes seniors Benjamin Yue, John Hordubay and Robin Schiro. Juniors Jerry Satayarekha and Joshua Scales and freshmen Roman Brown and Paul Schulz complete the roster.
The school does not have a girls team this season.
Osceola
Coach Janine Koch takes over the girls and boys programs at OHS this season.
Playing for the Lady Kowboys are No. 1 Savanna Escobar, No. 2 Katie Pedone, No. 3 Jazzmin Williams, No. 4 Janice Cardona and No. 5 Kate Chashin.
Also on the roster are Samantha Bell, Annjenisse Alvarez, Megan Rivera, Dominique Peters and Pheonix Bogden.
Escobar-Pedone play No. 1 doubles and Cardona-Williams are the No. 2 doubles team.
The boys team is No. 1 Kevin Remigio, No. 2 Justin Wayman, No. 3 Chris Lane, No. 4 Caleb Sullivan and No. 5. Dillon Newsome. At No. 1 doubles are Remigio-Wayman and Lane-Sullivan will team at No. 2 doubles.
St. Cloud
Coach Tim McMullen has depth on his girls team led by returners Jessica Varney, Juliette Andriarena and Kristina Wallace.
Newcomers include Paula Morales, Darby Huggins, Melanie Hawkins and Irene Liebana.
McMullen is coaching the boys team, led by returners Nathan Robinson and Dillon Moore.
Newcomers include Ken Li and Brice Berwanger.
Two-time district champion Trevor Foshey did not return.
Liberty
Coach Dai Bacon returns for the Lady Chargers.
Her players are Samantha Sviridoff, Joline Deruisseaux, Rebecca Phillippe, Rashel Oramas and Rubi Martinez.
The boys, playing for Coach William Kuehnel, are Adawala King, Oneal Mcleod, Jaron Nathan, Roberto Ospina and Christian Perez-Soto.
Poinciana
Coach Troy Herrera coaches the Lady Eagles, who have one of the county’s best players in junior No. 1 singles player Jacqueline Renteria.
Rounding out the top five are No. 2 Sabrina Echevarria, No. 3 Brianna Dawson, No. 4 Cinty Guerra and No. 5 Lisette Benitez.
Also on the roster are Alondra Sanchez, Ashley German and Fiorela Medina.
Ricardo Catala coaches the boys team.