Local teams well-positioned to bring home trophies

Twelve tennis teams from Miami-Dade and Broward counties have advanced to next week’s state quarterfinals, and none of them would figure to be more battletested than the girls at American Heritage.

The Patriots on Thursday eliminated Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest 4-3 in a match that started at 3 p.m. at Heritage and concluded at 9:45 p.m. at Sunrise Tennis Club.

Heritage lacks lights, thus necessitating a 10minute car trip for all involved over to Sunrise.

“I can’t recall that happening in 18 years of coaching at Heritage,” Patriots coach Tobias Croke said of the move. “But I quickly reserved the stadium court at Sunrise, and club members stopped by to watch this incredibly intense match. Little did they know that some of the best junior tennis in the nation was happening right there.

“It got rowdy with fan and team support.”

Heritage, ranked fourth in the nation, seemed doomed after singles competition, trailing 3-2. They needed to sweep both doubles matches or their team’s season was over.

Fortunately for the Patriots, their No. 2 doubles team of Grace Odom-Montbrun and Jackie Daynovsky rallied to win 2-6, 7-5 (10-7 tiebreaker). Daynovsky, a freshman, was a last-hour substitute due to a teammate’s cramping issue.

Odom-Montbrun and Daynovsky trailed 5-3 in the second set, and had they lost one more game, Pine Crest would’ve advanced.

“That was the craziest tennis match I’ve ever been a part of,” Pine Crest coach Corey Marsh said.

In the deciding doubles match, Heritage’s No. 1 pair of Natalie Block and Sangee Prieto prevailed, 6-2, 6-4.

“It was closer than it sounds,” Croke said.

Looking ahead to next week for Miami-Dade and Broward tennis teams, there are six girls’ squads and six boys’ squads still alive in the hunt for a state title. Doral in Class 3A and Gulliver (2A) advanced both their boys’ and girls’ team.

Three Dade/Broward girls’ tennis programs are ranked among the top 10 in the nation: No. 1 Doral, Heritage and No. 8 Palmetto. Among boys’ tennis teams, there is one top-10 team: No. 7 Doral.

The Class 4A (April 28-30) and Class 3A (April 26-28) tournaments will be held at Sanlando Park. The Class 2A (April 28-30) and Class 1A (April 26-28) tournaments are set for Red Bug Lake Park. Both parks are in Seminole County, near Orlando.

Here’s a closer look at the Dade/Broward teams which have advanced and who they play next:

BOYS’ COMPETITION

Class 4A: Cypress Bay plays Spruce Creek, andKrop plays Winter Park. To advance out of regionals, Cypress Bay defeated Douglas, 4-1. Krop beat Palmetto, 4-2.

Class 3A: Doral will play Ponte Vedra. Doral beat TERRA, 4-0. Doral is led by Luis Fernandez, Andres Rodriguez, Greyson Williams, Peyton Williams and Facundo Olmedo.

Class 2A: Pine Crest plays Pensacola, and Gulliver plays Jacksonville

AAABolles. Pine Crest beat Delray American Heritage, 4-0; and Gulliver beat Somerset Academy, 4-0. Palmetto is led by Notre Dame recruit Jamie Corsillo, as well as Andrew Pereverzev; Kenneth Chan; Jason Berinstein; Kristzian Meszaros; Jonathan Fromkin. Gulliver is led by

Pierce Garbett; Eric Brook; Gaston Menendez; Rodrigo Lopez Abadia; and Franky Di Mise.

Class 1A: Ransom Everglades plays Episcopal. Ransom beat Miami Country Day, 4-0. Ransom is led by junior Sam Gelber, who has qualified as an individual. Ransom also qualified its top doubles team of Gelber and senior Xander Lake. The other key members of the team are junior Dylan Kauffmann, and freshmen Mike Zoi and Alejandro Urdaneta.

AGIRLS’ COMPETITION

A Class 4A: Douglas plays

Creekside; and unbeaten Palmetto (16-0) plays Lake Mary. Douglas beat Western, 7-0. Palmetto, which beat Krop, 4-2, is led by Nathalie van der Reis; Jett Coetzee; Mia Sorrentino; Brooke Revuelta; Nicole Calmet; Carly Stokes; and Sofia Gutierrez.

A Class 3A: Doral will play Ponte Vedra. Doral beat St. Thomas Aquinas, 5-0. Doral is led by Junior Orange Bowl champ Valeria Ray, as well as Valeria Centeno, Lauren Kettlewell, Brenda Yoris, Alba Martinez and Patricia Palencia.

A Class 2A: Gulliver plays Jacksonville Bolles, and American Heritage plays Pensacola. Gulliver beat LaSalle, 4-1. Gulliver is led by Valentina Rossi, Jayden Jagolinzer; Mia Suarez; Lia Fletcher; and Tori Hagenlocker.

A Class 1A: Riviera Prep plays Episcopal. Riviera knocked off Carrollton, 4-3.