High school district tennis previews
District tennis tournaments open this week. Schedules are those listed by the Florida High School Athletic Association and are subject to change.
Boys districts
District 1-4A
At Nease
Teams: Atlantic Coast, Bartram Trail, Creekside, First Coast, Mandarin, Nease, Sandalwood, Tocoi Creek
Dates: Tuesday-Wednesday. match: 8 a.m. Finals: 8 a.m.
Notable: Year in and year out, this is among Northeast Florida’s most competitive districts. Among the teams to watch for high placing: a young Nease squad, an Atlantic Coast team with a strong No. 1 in Marko Stevanovic and a Creekside lineup, led by junior Jack Walzer, that’s more dangerous than its record might indicate. Tocoi Creek and Bartram Trail could also challenge.
District 3-3A
District 4-3A
District 2-2A
District 3-2A
District 4-2A
First
At Ponte Vedra
Teams: Beachside, Englewood, Fletcher, Matanzas, Oakleaf, Orange Park, Parker, Ponte Vedra, St. Augustine
Dates: Tuesday-Wednesday. First match: 8:30 a.m. Finals: 8:30 a.m.
Notable: The traditional power team here is Ponte Vedra, and with Grant Price nearly unbeaten, the Sharks are strong contenders to finish on top. Fletcher, the Gateway Conference runner-up, and Matanzas are also in the mix.
At Jonesville Tennis Center, Gainesville
Teams: Belleview, Clay, Columbia, Fleming Island, Gainesville, Lecanto, Middleburg, Ridgeview.
Dates: Wednesday-Thursday. First match: 9 a.m. Finals: 9 a.m.
Notable: Zach Hyatt and Anthony Williams, both with double-digit singles victories on the year, lead a Fleming Island lineup that appears strongest among the district’s locals. Gainesville, Lecanto, Clay and Ridgeview are among the other teams to watch.
At Albert “Ray” Massey Park, Gainesville
Teams: Alachua Santa Fe, Baker County, Bradford, Gainesville Eastside, Keystone Heights, Suwannee, Tallahassee Rickards, Wakulla.
Dates: Tuesday-Wednesday. match: 9 a.m. Finals: 9 a.m.
Notable: On paper, Tallahassee Rickards enters as the district favorite, with a 13-3 record. Santa Fe, Eastside and Wakulla are the top contenders for second.
First
At West Nassau
Teams: Bishop Kenny, Fernandina Beach, Jackson, Paxon, Raines, Stanton, West Nassau, Yulee.
Dates: Monday-Wednesday. match: 9 a.m. Finals: 9 a.m.
Notable: It’ll be an upset if Stanton, the Gateway Conference champion crowned two weeks ago, and Fernandina Beach don’t end up as the two qualifiers. Bishop Kenny is the main threat to the Blue Devils and Pirates, but already lost 7-0 to Fernandina Beach on Feb. 20.
First
At Bolles
Teams: Bolles, Menendez, Palatka, Riverside, White, Wolfson.
Dates: Monday-Tuesday. match: 9 a.m. Finals: 9 a.m.
Notable: At 11-2, with its only losses
First coming to Florida High and Episcopal, Bolles is a threat to not only win the district but make some further noise in postseason. Depth stands out, including Ioannis Economidis and Michael Zhang. Wolfson sophomore Jack Miller and Menendez senior Collin Beese are also players to watch.
District 3-1A
At Episcopal
Teams: Bishop Snyder, Christ’s Church, Episcopal, Hilliard, Providence, St. Johns Country Day, St. Joseph, Trinity Christian.
Dates: Monday-Tuesday. match: 8 a.m. Finals: 8 a.m.
Notable: The clear favorite is Episcopal, undefeated on the season after last week’s 7-0 shutout of St. Johns Country Day, with a deep lineup behind No. 1 senior Ford Rachels. Behind them, it’s a tight contest with Christ’s Church, Providence and St. Johns Country Day all in the hunt.
District 4-1A
Girls districts
District 1-4A
First
At Jonesville Tennis Center, Gainesville
Teams: Father Lopez, Gainesville Oak Hall, Ocala Trinity Catholic, P.K. Yonge, Seven Rivers Christian, Union County.
Dates: Monday-Tuesday. match: 9 a.m. Finals: 9 a.m.
Notable: Union County, the one area team in the district, is a significant long shot. Expect P.K. Yonge and Oak Hall to place in the top two.
First
At Creekside
Teams: Atlantic Coast, Bartram Trail, Creekside, First Coast, Mandarin, Nease, Sandalwood, Tocoi Creek
Dates: Tuesday-Wednesday. match: 8 a.m. Finals: 8 a.m.
Notable: A big-time St. Johns County matchup could decide this one: Nease and Tocoi Creek, with No. 1 singles stars Kylie Kochis for the Panthers and Adriah Tongkhuya for the Toros, have starred all year long. There’s strength up and down this district, and players like Creekside’s Caroline Cooper and Sandalwood’s
First
Miella Matteo could also make some noise.
District 3-3A
At Ponte Vedra
Teams: Beachside, Englewood, Fletcher, Matanzas, Oakleaf, Orange Park, Parker, Ponte Vedra, St. Augustine
Dates: Tuesday-Wednesday. First match: 8:30 a.m. Finals: 8:30 a.m.
Notable: Ponte Vedra is never a team to ignore in postseason, and they’re the favorites here with a deep roster behind sophomore Ashley Larger at No. 1 singles. Also in the mix are Beachside, led by Ava Hess and Olivia Pistryak, and Gateway Conference runner-up Fletcher, with a strong newcomer in Kaylee Munson.
District 4-3A
At Jonesville Tennis Center, Gainesville
Teams: Belleview, Clay, Columbia, Fleming Island, Gainesville, Lecanto, Middleburg, Ridgeview.
Dates: Wednesday-Thursday. First match: 9 a.m. Finals: 9 a.m.
Notable: Most likely, no one is beating Gainesville in this district. But Sarah Jensen, Tessa Wilson and their Fleming Island teammates have a real chance to qualify for regionals, with Lecanto as their main obstacle.
District 2-2A
At Albert “Ray” Massey Park, Gainesville
Teams: Alachua Santa Fe, Baker County, Bradford, Gainesville Eastside, Keystone Heights, North Marion, Suwannee, Tallahassee Rickards, Wakulla.
Dates: Tuesday-Wednesday. match: 9 a.m. Finals: 9 a.m.
Notable: Suwannee enters with the best record of this district’s local teams, but the Bulldogs have their work cut out to overcome favorites Eastside, Santa Fe and Wakulla.
District 3-2A
First
At West Nassau
Teams: Bishop Kenny, Fernandina Beach, Jackson, Paxon, Raines, Stanton,
West Nassau, Yulee.
Dates: Monday-Wednesday. match: 9 a.m. Finals: 9 a.m.
Notable: At 14-1 on the year, Gateway Conference champion Stanton is always a contender and enters postseason after wins over Bolles and Bishop Kenny. Depth stands out for Bishop Kenny, likely the biggest threat to the Blue Devils, with Madison Bolen and Bridget Sutter scoring significant points from the Nos. 4 and 5 lines.
District 4-2A
District 3-1A
District 4-1A
First
At Bolles
Teams: Bolles, Menendez, Palatka, Riverside, White, Wolfson.
Dates: Monday-Tuesday. match: 9 a.m. Finals: 9 a.m.
Notable: Anything other than a Bolles victory would be a major surprise. Senior Katrina Kirov and Rafa Neel have been dominant at No. 1 and No. 2 singles for the Bulldogs, who have only lost twice. Expect Menendez and Wolfson to contest for second-place honors.
First
At Episcopal
Teams: Bishop Snyder, Christ’s Church, Episcopal, Hilliard, Providence, St. Johns Country Day, St. Joseph, Trinity Christian.
Dates: Monday-Tuesday. match: 8 a.m. Finals: 8 a.m.
Notable: Traditionally, this district means advantage Episcopal. Ella Jane Eddy and a deep Eagles team have lost only three times this year and enter as favorites. Providence, paced by Claire Caven and Saylor Clough, and St. Johns Country Day are the main challengers.
First
At Jonesville Tennis Center, Gainesville
Teams: Father Lopez, Gainesville Oak Hall, Newberry, Ocala Trinity Catholic, P.K. Yonge, Seven Rivers Christian, Union County.
Dates: Monday-Tuesday. match: 9 a.m. Finals: 9 a.m.
Notable: Led by senior Jordan Hendricks, Union County brings a 4-match winning streak into districts. P.K. Yonge and Oak Hall enter as the favorites.
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