The road to the 2A state tournament will continue to go through Cape Coral after the boys and girls teams were victorious Tuesday as the Seahawks boys downed Bradenton Southeast 4-0 and the Seahawks girls defeated Lemon Bay 5-2.
Martin Gijon’s boys' club will look to go to state for the first time in program history and they will need to contend with city rival Mariner to do so as the Tritons scored a win on the road over Lemon Bay. Armed with seniors that include an unbeaten Ian Ziegler, who continued his stellar season at No. 1 singles with a straight-set victory, the Seahawks are ready for the big stage with plenty of postseason experience throughout their lineup.
However, it may be the youngest out of the five in the Seahawks' rotation who may play the biggest role in freshman No. 2 singles player Matthew Orozco. Gijon believes that from the past three seasons in which Cape Coral has not been able to reach a regional final, Orozco could be the piece that can take the Seahawks over the top on Thursday.
“With a freshman who has been really good that Matt has been, it’s allowed everyone else to breathe a bit and relax,” Gijon said.
“Matt has really made a big difference, and he’s our missing link we’ve needed. He’s stepped into the No. 2 role and accepted it, knowing that the next three years, he’ll be our No. 1 player. He’s only going to get stronger and better on the court.”
Ziegler, Orozco, Corey Williamson and Max Slafer all made short work of their matches in straight sets with the quartet only dropping a combined five games.
For the Seahawks, girls No. 1 singles player Laura Moreno led the way as she earned a straight-set victory and was successful with partner Ana Dieng at No. 1 doubles to earn the clinching point to lift the Seahawks to the regional semifinals where they will also matchup with a familiar foe as Bishop Verot was victorious against Bradenton Bayshore with a 4-1 road victory.
In defeating Lemon Bay, who had advanced to a regional final seven years in a row, A.J. Gurgal’s club exercised some demons as the Manta Rays had ended the Seahawks season the last two years. For a roster that is deeper than it has been in years past, Gurgal feels that for his group getting over the hump is something they can carry over to making a regional final that the program has not experienced since 2000.
“To get past the team that knocked us out two years in a row is a big deal,” Gurgal said.
“There’s just one more hurdle to get over now and Bishop Verot will be a good match. The girls know it’ll be tough, they’re very familiar with how they play.”
Bailey Klein and Yevheniya Krasynska won in straight sets at No. 3 and No. 4 singles and the duo teamed up to win the final match at No. 2 doubles with another straight set victory.
The regional semifinal matches will begin at 3 p.m. on Thursday.
Boys results
Singles: 1. Ian Ziegler (CC) d. Aiden Little 6-2, 6-0; 2. Matthew Orozco (CC) d. Sebastian Suerez 6-0, 6-0; 3. Corey Williamson (CC) d. Gaurau Garre 6-2, 6-0; 4. Max Slafer (CC) d. Avi Patel 6-0, 6-1; 5. Jacob Robertson (CC) d. Matt Haight 8-6
Girls results
Singles: 1. Laura Moreno (CC) d. Chloe DiDonato 6-1, 6-0; 2. Siena Burger (LB) d. Ana Dieng 7-5, 6-1; 3. Bailey Klein (CC) d. Hailey Tucker 6-2, 6-0; 4. Yevheniya Krasynska (CC) d. Samantha Cahill 6-1, 6-0; 5. Lauren Maheu (LB) d. Abigail Williamson 6-1, 7-5; Doubles: 1. Moreno/Dieng (CC) d. DiDonato/Tucker 6-1, 6-2; 2. Klein/Krysynska (CC) d. Burger/Cahill 6-1, 6-2
Mariner boys tennis moves on to regional semifinals: Teddy Perchall and Yeni Win teamed for a massive victory at No. 2 doubles to clinch the Tritons' spot in the regional semifinals as they defeated Lemon Bay 4-3. Hayden Wiseley, Win, and Brandon King were winners at the No. 3-5 spots in the singles lineup as Mariner will get another crack at district champion Cape Coral on Thursday for a spot in the regional finals.
Results
Singles: 1. Enrique Subero (LB) d. Andrew Kibler 6-1, 6-3; 2. Noah Pirro (LB) d. Teddy Perchall 6-3, 7-5; 3. Hayden Wiseley (M) d. Josh Hutcherson 6-1, 6-2; 4. Yeni Win (M) d. Matt Hutcherson 6-2, 6-2; 5. Brandon King (M) d. Parth Patel 6-3, 6-1; Doubles: Subero/Pirro (LB) d. Kibler/Wiseley 3-6, 6-4, 10-7; Perchall/Win (M) d. Hutcherson/Hutcherson 6-2, 6-3
Bishop Verot girls tennis advances to regional semifinals: Four Vikings were winners at No. 2-5 singles to wrap up a spot in the regional semifinals. Gabrielle Magnant, Mackenzie Housler, Gabriella Martinez and Kerry Dowdle all won in straight sets, as Bishop Verot will travel to take on Cape Coral at 3 p.m. on Thursday with a spot in the regional final on the line.
Results
Singles: 1. Theo Shultz (BB) d. Marina Lombardo 6-2, 7-6(3); 2. Gabrielle Magnant (BV) d. Nicole Llorente 6-0, 6-1; 3. Mackenzie Housler (BV) d. Kenia Cuaui-Bello 7-5, 6-2; 4. Gabriella Martinez (BV) d. Yaneidy Cervantes 6-2, 6-1; 5. Kerry Dowdle (BV) d. Samantha Finnigan 6-0, 6-2
Barron Collier rallies to beat Fort Myers girls: Fort Myers won three of the four matches that went to tiebreakers, but it was the fourth that decided the match. The Barron Collier doubles tandem of Lauren Schave and Solana Gonzales outlasted Fort Myers' Reina Plancher and Gabriella Mazzorana 6-2, 2-6, 10-7 as the Cougars won the Region 3A semifinal 4-3. Fort Myers' three wins came as the Green Wave top three singles players, Shani Idlette, Ava Lyon and Plancher, all took third-set tiebreakers.
"The team fought all the way down to the last points," Fort Myers coach Ron Riis said. "You can't ask more than that."
Singles: 1. Shani Idlette (FM) d. Tori Franklin 6-2, 3-6, 13-11; 2. Ava Lyon (FM) d. Tori Franklin 7-6, 3-6, 10-7; 3. Reina Plancher (FM) d. Lauren Schave 5-7, 7-5, 10-6; 4. Solana Gonzales (BC) d. Gabriella Mazzorana 6-0, 6-4; 5. Lauren Waylouis (BC) d. Alexandra Dorofeev 6-2, 6-4. Doubles: 1. Franklin/Ruci (BC) d. Idlette/Lyon 4-1 (retired); 2. Schave/Gonzales (BC) d. Plancher/Mazzorana 6-2, 2-6, 10-7.
Canterbury girls tennis season comes to a close: Emily Javedan and Anna Sofia Diaz were victorious at No. 1 doubles for the Cougars, but it wasn't enough as they were defeated 4-1 by Bradenton St. Stephen's in the regional quarterfinals. Javedan will move to the 1A state tournament in the singles' draw after winning the District 1A-10 title at No. 1 singles last week.
Doubles: 1. Emily Javedan/Anna Sofia Diaz (C) d. Paradise Traub/Laura Perazzolo da Silveria 7-6 (5), 7-6 (7); 2. Cassy Huang/Stella Rundova (SS) d. Caitlin McCartney/Maya Allione 6-2, 6-3. Singles: 3. Huang (SS) d. McCartney 6-0, 6-0; 4. Rundova (SS) d. Louisa Cadiou 6-1, 6-0; 5. Petrova Maria (SS) d. Allione 6-0, 6-1.