High school tennis regionals are here: Schedules for Northeast Florida
The Florida High School Athletic Association continues its postseason for high school boys and girls tennis with the regional tournaments. Regional semifinals are scheduled for Tuesday, April 18, followed by regional championships on Thursday, April 20. The regionals are the last step before the state championships at the end of the month at Altamonte Springs, Casselberry and Sanford.
Boys tennis
REGION 1-4A
Gainesville Buchholz at Creekside
Bartram Trail at Spruce Creek
Outlook: Although Bartram Trail and Creekside were close in their regular-season meetings, Creekside dominated last week's district tournament with 21 points, and senior Aryan Gupta has helped set the pace. But the road to the state tournament runs through Spruce Creek, and as always, that's a tough assignment. Brothers Zane and Hayden Ensminger lead a Hawks team that's a potential contender.
REGION 2-3A
Fleming Island at Ponte Vedra
Fletcher at Gainesville
Outlook: A tough region to call. Reigning state champions from 2022, the Sharks overcame an up-and-down start to win in district and look set to chomp onward again, led by Grant Price and Ofek Blank at the top singles lines. Fleming Island will meet them with force from the top lines of Kesl Cumpstone and Anthony Williams. Sophomore Reef Davis and Fletcher are in the mix, too, as is Gainesville, whose only regular-season losses this year came to Buchholz.
REGION 2-2A
Wolfson at TBD (Fernandina Beach or Stanton)
TBD (Fernandina Beach or Stanton) at Bolles
Outlook: The pairings in this region remain in flux until Monday's tiebreaker to resolve the District 3-2A tournament between Fernandina Beach and Stanton. Bolles, among the area's deepest teams, already beat both in regular season play by 5-2 scores. Wolfson is also in the regionals, paced by senior Jackson Berzsenyi and freshman Jack Miller.
REGION 2-1A
TBA at Episcopal
Christ's Church at P.K. Yonge
Outlook: Can two-time individual champion Chase Healey carry CCA all the way to the state tournament? The star senior has dropped only one singles game — that's right, not match but game — during the entire high school season. But the depth of Episcopal, including No. 1 junior Ford Rachels and eighth-grade sensations Charlie Neal and Will Misner, makes Jacksonville's other Eagles the favorite. They enter at 16-1, and will be favored against either Christ's Church or P.K. Yonge if they reach the final.
Girls tennis
REGION 1-4A
Flagler Palm Coast at TBD (Creekside or Nease)
TBD (Creekside or Nease) at Spruce Creek
Outlook: The District 1-4A tournament ended in deadlock between Creekside and Nease. Both teams qualified from districts, pending a Monday tiebreaker to decide home court advantage for regionals. Nease's Kylie Kochis captured the district's individual honors, while Creekside will be relying on its doubles squad and all-around depth. Both St. Johns County schools are likely to confront the buzzsaw that is 16-1 Spruce Creek, with sophomore Kayla Wheeler and freshman Giselle Adekunle leading the Hawks' flight.
REGION 2-3A
Gainesville at Ponte Vedra
St. Augustine at Lecanto
Outlook: Young and rising fast, Ponte Vedra nearly made it a clean sweep at districts. Ashley Larger, Cait Sheehan and Rachel Marino, all in their freshman years, all won district titles to set up the Sharks for a bright future. Lecanto enters with the region's top record at 11-0 and a proven No. 1 singles performer in Mirabelle Tahiri.
REGION 2-2A
Tocoi Creek at Stanton
Bishop Kenny at Bolles
Outlook: There's no shortage of talent in this district. Led by Emma Gredenhag, Katie Wong and Adriah Tongkhuya respectively at No. 1 singles, Bishop Kenny, Stanton and rapidly-rising Tocoi Creek are all balanced contenders in regionals. But until somebody proves otherwise, the role of favorite belongs to a Bolles team that hasn't yet lost to a Florida opponent in 2023. Junior Katrina Kirov plays at No. 1 singles for the Bulldogs, who are both young and tough.
REGION 2-1A
Father Lopez at Episcopal
St. Johns Country Day at Gainesville Oak Hall
Outlook: Episcopal has overcome several injuries during the year to earn a district trophy, and their strength is in depth. Seniors Lacy Clausen and Bella McQuade have scored steadily at Nos. 4 and 5 singles. If they come up against individual district champion Stella Hyatt and St. Johns, it could be a real battle, after the Eagles squeezed past 4-3 on April 5. But both face a stiff test against Oak Hall, with a strong top two of Takaii Adderley and Kate Pickens.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: High school tennis 2023: Northeast Florida FHSAA regional tournaments
