Moravian, Eastern Pennsylvania favorites to win district crown
On the heels of a singles tournament that featured several upsets, success stories and quality play, the top area girls tennis players now shift focus to the District 11 team tournament, which begins Monday.
All quarterfinal matches (Monday) and semifinal matches (Tuesday) begin at 3 p.m. at the higher seed. Thursday’s finals begin at 2 p.m. at Lehigh University.
Colonial League champion Moravian Academy and Eastern Pennsylvania Conference champ Parkland fell short of winning gold in district singles, but that will not deter either team from making a run at district team crowns. In fact, both are considered heavy favorites to win their respective classifications later in the week.
CLASS 2A
The top-seeded Lions are incredibly deeper than the rest of the 2A field and, on paper, should not face any real threat in their quest of claiming a third-straight title. Moravian Academy opens up with No. 8 Pen Argyl.
The winner of Moravian Academy-Pen Argyl gets the winner of an intriguing matchup between No. 4 Central Catholic and No. 5 Salisbury.
The Vikings’ top player, Sabrina Yurconic, is fresh off a district singles title and will look to guide her team to a quarterfinal win over the Falcons.
On the bottom of the draw, No. 2 Bethlehem Catholic appears to be Moravian Academy’s biggest challenge.
The Golden Hawks are tough up top with district runner-up Cara Magliochetti and district quarterfinalist Taylor Adams. The team will need to keep improving at the bottom of their lineup throughout the tournament if it hopes to compete with the Lions.
The Golden Hawks open with an always tough Notre DameGreen Pond, which is seeded seventh. In the other quarterfinal, No. 3 Blue Mountain will take on No. 6 Jim Thorpe.
CLASS 3A
The Trojans’ top three singles players can really pack a punch, as each player is at the same skill level.
Erin Joo (district finalist), Leah Zolotareva (district semi-finalist), and Gigi Leonzi (district quarterfinalist) all played to the best of their ability in singles districts, and all three will be vital for Parkland in the team tournament.
The No. 1 Trojans open up with No. 8 Nazareth, with the winner to face either No. 4 Easton or No. 5 Southern Lehigh. The matchup between the Rovers and Spartans is undoubtedly the marquee
matchup of the quarterfinals, and both teams could give the Trojans a push in the semifinals.
On the bottom of the 3A draw is No. 2 Emmaus vs. No. 7 Liberty and No. 3 Stroudsburg vs. No. 6 Freedom.
The three singles/two doubles format will make for an absolute battle should the Green Hornets and Mountaineers meet in the semifinals. Stroudsburg does have a big advantage at the top of its lineup with three-time defending singles champion Paraskevi Briegel at the top of her game.