PARKERSBURG - Following a perfect regular season, the Parkersburg girls tennis program ventures into regional action scheduled for a 4 p.m. start today at Erickson All-Sports Facility.
The Class AAA, Region IV field includes PHS, Parkersburg South, Cabell-Midland, Huntington, Hurricane, Nitro, Ripley, Spring Valley, Lincoln County and Winfield. Matches for both girls and boys divisions will continue at 8 a.m. on Friday. Saturday is set aside as a rain date.
In the girls bracket, all four PHS entries received a top seed, including three in singles with Cassandra Powell at No. 2 singles, Monika Keiser at No. 3 and Amber Kesterson at No. 4. Powell and Shay Stansberry are favored to win at No. 2 doubles.
When coaches met to determine regional pairings, Powell was undefeated in singles at 17-0 and a perfect 15-0 in doubles.
The Big Reds' top player - Sloane Prince - is seeded to advance after receiving the No. 3 seed at No. 1 singles, while at No. 1 doubles she is paired with Kesterson as the second seed.
The breakdown for advancing to state in singles is placing in the top four at No. 1, top three at No. 2, champion and runner-up at No. 3 and the winner at No. 4. Qualifiers in doubles will be the top three at No. 1, champion and runner-up at No. 2 and the winner at No. 3.
Fact Box
Class AAA, Region IV
At Erickson All-Sports Facility
Quarterfinal round pairings for Thursday
(In bracket order)
Boys
No. 1 singles: No. 1 Hunter Tubert (Huntington) vs. Josh Force (Spring Valley)/Kyle Easter (Ripley) winner; Heath Diehl (Winfield) vs. No. 4 Matt Gnegy (Parkersburg); No. 3 Shane Demsey (Nitro) vs. Joe Holland (Parkersburg South); Alex Beam (Cabell Midland) vs. No. 2 Reid Bailey (Hurricane)
No. 2 singles: No. 1 Robert Skolik (Huntington) vs. Austin Marshall (Spring Valley)/Baylee Vankirk (Ripley) winner; Aaron Sutton (Cabell Midland) vs. No. 4 Brandon Galici (Parkersburg South); No. 3 Ashton Whiteleather (Parkersburg) vs. Nate Weese (Nitro); Trevor Oxley (Winfield) vs. No. 2 Alex Clay (Hurricane)
No. 3 singles: No. 1 Josh Clay (Huntington) vs. Evan Koontz (Ripley)/Akila Jaun (Spring Valley) winner; Luke Nelson (Winfield) vs. No. 4 Joey Newfield (Cabell Midland); No. 3 Jordan Chapman (Hurricane) vs. Adam Shaffer (Parkersburg South); Tanner Mann (Nitro) vs. No. 2 Saaman Ghodsi (Parkersburg)
No. 4 singles: No. 1 Alex D'Costa (Parkersburg) vs. Tyler Duffy (Winfield)/Garrett Dailey (Parkersburg South) winner; Sean Hayton (Spring Valley) vs. No. 4 Garrett Volk (Nitro); No. 3 Logan Williams (Hurricane) vs. Noah Weber (Cabell Midland); Jared Mullins (Ripley) vs. No. 2 Bill Wright (Huntington)
No. 1 doubles: No. 1 Tubert-Skolik (Huntington) vs. Demsey/Volk (Nitro); Hayton-Marshall (Spring Valley) vs. No. 4 Holland-Galici (Parkersburg South); No. 3 Bailey-Clay (Hurricane) vs. Beam-Sutton (Cabell Midland); Easter-VanKirk (Ripley) vs. No. 2 Gnegy-Whiteleather (Parkersburg)
No. 2 doubles: No. 1 Wright-Gilliam (Huntington) vs. Reese-Mann (Nitro); Newfield-Weber (Cabell Midland) vs. No. 4 Dailey-Tebay (Parkersburg South); No. 3 Chapman-Williams (Hurricane) vs. Force-Juan (Spring Valley); Koontz-Mullins (Ripley) vs. No. 2 Ghodsi-D'Costa (Parkersburg)
No. 3 doubles: No. 1 Clay-Neighborgall (Huntington) vs. Summers-Reynolds (Ripley); Haynes-Steven (Nitro) vs. No. 4 Sayer-Hatfield (Hurricane); No. 3 Carder-Stone (Parkersburg) vs. Evans-Shaffer (Parkersburg South); Stephens-Brown (Spring Valley) vs. No. 2 Comer-Kuhn (Cabell Midland)
Girls
No. 1 singles: No. 1 Cassie Mercer (Huntington) vs. Vivian Yao (Hurricane)/Cheyenne Farley (Winfield) winner; Meredith Hall (Spring Valley) vs. No. 4 Emily Munson (Ripley); No. 3 Sloane Prince (Parkersburg) vs. Emily Hrtyanski (Nitro); Jessie Mongilio (Parkersburg South) vs. No. 2 Gabriella Beam (Cabell Midland)
No. 2 singles: No. 1 Cassandra Powell (Parkersburg) vs. Jaden Hardesty (Winfield)/Marissa Poultney (Ripley) winner; Maya Thompson (Cabell Midland) vs. No. 4 Taylor Painter (Nitro); No. 3 Kate Huck (Huntington) vs. Regan Hanlon (Parkersburg South) vs. Lora Rutherford (Spring Valley) vs. No. 2 Kayla McKnight (Hurricane)
No. 3 singles: No. 1 Monika Keiser (Parkersburg) vs. Anne Houck (Winfield)/Tyler Barickman (Ripley) winner; Kristen Chaffins (Spring Valley) vs. No. 4 Olivia Osborn (Parkersburg South); No. 3 Natalie Dotsenko (Nitro) vs. Summer Berardi (Hurricane); Claudia Chapman (Cabell Midland) vs. No. 2 Katelyn McGuffin (Huntington)
No. 4 singles: No. 1 Amber Kesterson (Parkersburg) vs. Rachele Subik (Huntington)/Olivia Richardson (Winfield) winner; Regan Russell (Parkersburg South) vs. No. 4 Megan Lawrence (Nitro); Michelle Greider (Spring Valley) vs. Samantha Smith (Cabell Midland); Arin Shatto (Ripley) vs. No. 2 Stephanie Spaulding (Hurricane)
No. 1 doubles: No. 1 Mercer-Huck (Hurricane) vs. Hrtyanski-Painter (Nitro); Munson-Frampton (Ripley) vs. No. 4 Mongilio-Hanlon (Parkersburg South); No. 3 Yoa/McKnight (Hurricane) vs. Hall-Greider (Spring Valley); Beam-Thompson (Cabell Midland) vs. No. 2 Prince-Keiser (Parkersburg)
No. 2 doubles: No. 1 Powell-Stansberry (Parkersburg) vs. Chapman-Smith (Cabell Midland); Chaffinbs-Rutherford (Spring Valley) vs. No. 4 Dotsenko-Lawrence (Nitro); No. 3 Berardi-Spaulding (Hurricane) vs. Osborn-Russell (Parkersburg South); Barickman-Shatto (Ripley) vs. No. 2 McGuffin-Hutchinson (Huntington)
No. 3 doubles: No. 1 Subik-Conrad (Huntington) vs. Cadle-Engle (Nitro); Divita-Khanna (Cabell Midland) vs. No. 4 Brown-Clark (Hurricane); No. 3 Villers-Poultney (Ripley) vs. Maynard-Boggs (Spring Valley); Bennett-Cox (Parkersburg South) vs. No. 2 Kesterson-Riffle (Parkersburg)
Schedule: Play begins at 4 p.m on Thursday, May 3. The tournament continues at 9 a.m. on Friday, May 4. The rain day is Saturday, May 5
Class AA-A
Region One
at West Liberty State University
Girls pairings
No. 1 Singles: First round: Taylor Somerville (PP) vs. Alex McNabb (Rav). Second round: 1. Ariel Shulman (PCath) vs. Brittany Buzzard (SM); Marina McCormick (Will) vs. 4. Anna Crawford (OG); 3. Natalie Capito (WC) vs. Amy Davis (WM); Somerville/McNabb winner vs. 2. Veronica Mueller (Rit)
No. 2 Singles: First round: Emily Kitchen (PP) vs. Lisa Parkins (WM). Second round: 1. Joanna Capito (WC) vs. Erica Schneider (Will); Mariah Cottrill (SM) vs. 4. Solita Krauss (OG); 3. Olivia Haught (Rit) vs. Jordan Wiseman (PCath); Kitchen/Parkins winner vs. 2. Taylor Youell (Rav)
No. 3 Singles: First round: Hannah Fenton (Will) vs. Jessie West (Rit). Second round: 1. Haley Spurlock (OG) vs. Jaime Graham (SM); Ali Welch (WM) vs. 4. Jillie Wiseman (PCath); 3. Hannah Gurtis (Rav) vs. Hannah Smith (PP); Fenton/West winner vs. 2. Brynn Jenkins (WC)
No. 4 Singles: First round: Lindsay Nibert (PP) vs. Kaylee Bayless (Will). Second round: 1. Christine Gompers (WC) vs. Tiffany Gilmore (Rit); Johnna Graham (SM) vs. 4. Christina Conforti (NM); 3. Abbi Sayre (OG) vs. Bess McNabb (Rav); Nibert/Bayless winner vs. 2. Erica Tracewell (PCath)
No. 1 Doubles: First round: Somerville/Kitchen (PP) vs. Davis/Parkins (WM). Second round: 1. Mueller/Haught (Rit) vs. McCormick/Schneider (Will); Cottrill/Jo. Graham (SM) vs. 4. A. McNabb/Gurtis (Rav); 3. Shulman/J. Wiseman (PCath) vs. Crawford/Sayre (OG); Somerville/Sayre-Davis/Parkins winners vs. 2. N. Capito/J. Capito (WC)
No. 2 Doubles: First round: Buzzard/Ja. Graham (SM) vs. Welch/Conforti (WM). Second round: 1. Youell/B. McNabb (Rav) vs. Fenton/Semon (Will); H. Smith/Albright (PP) vs. 4. Jenkins/Gompers (WC); 3. J. Wiseman/Tracewell (PCath) vs. West/Gilmore (Rit); Buzzard/Ja. Graham-Welch/Conforti winner vs. 2. Krauss/Spurlock (OG)
No 3 Doubles: First round: Haught/Hayes (Rit) vs. McGlaughlin/Saporito (WC). Second round: 1. Clowes/Eisenmann (PCath) vs. Gellner/Starcher (SM); Fournier/Frankovitch (WM) vs. 4. Danko/Crow (Rav); 3.Neely/Bayless (Will) vs. Pizzurro/Hill (OG); Haught/Hayes-McGlaughlin/Saporito winner vs. 2. Dean/V. Smith (PP)
Boys pairings
No. 1 Singles: First round: San Maston (SM) vs. Nate Schiefer (Rav). Second round: 1. Nick Conforti (WM) vs. Noah Laugh (Rit); Tyler Brown (OG) vs. 4. Tyler Cardenas (PCath); 3. Jacob Mayles (WC) vs. Thiago Brianti (PP); Maston/Schiefer winner vs. 2. Luke Flanagan (Will)
No. 2 Singles: First round: Garrett Villers (Rit) vs. Brett Szeligo (WC). Second round: 1. Zach Brown (OG) vs. Drew Poling (SM); Sean Matics (Rav) vs. 4. Luke Cardenas (PCath); 3. Matt Conforti (WM) vs. Alex Swain (PP); Villers/Szeligo winner vs. 2. Aaron Leo (Will)
No. 3 Singles: First round: Tanner Bleakley (SM) vs. Bobby Michels (Rit). Second round: 1. Jonathan Haley (WC) vs. Anthony Clements (WM); Ethan Cross (Rav) vs. 4. Erik Allbright (PP); 3. Josh Lehman (OG) vs. David Albert (PCath); Bleakley/Michels winner vs. 2. Ryan Leo (Will)
No. 4 Singles: First round: Alex Gedon (Will) vs. A.J. Harris (SM). Second round: 1. Addison Sayre (OG) vs. Darton Hoover (Rit); Michael Danishanko (Rav) vs. 4. Josh Parsons (PP); 3. Cody Somerville (PCath) vs. Alan Alimario (WM); Gedon/Harris winner vs. 2. Daniel Lee (WC)
No. 1 Doubles: First round: Maston/Poling (SM) vs. Laugh/Villers (Rit). Second round: 1. Mayles/Szeligo (WC) vs. Schiefer/Cross (Rav); T. Brown/Z. Brown (OG) vs. 4. T. Cardenas/L. Cardenas (PCath); 3. Flanagan/A. Leo (Will) vs. Brianti/Parsons (PP); Maston/Poling-Laugh/Villers winner vs. 2. N. Conforti/M. Conforti (WM)
No. 2 Doubles: First round: Clements/Alimario (WM) vs. Michels/Hoover (Rit). Second round: 1. Haley/Lee (WC) vs. Matics/Tucker (Rav); Albert/Somerville (PCath) vs. 4. Lehman/Sayre (OG); 3. R. Leo/Gedon (Will) vs. Bleakley/Harris (SM); Clements-Alimario/Michels-Hoover winner vs. 2. Swain/Allbright (PP)
No. 3 Doubles: First round: Bishop/Knutsen (Rit) vs. Majad/Wilson (Will). Second round: 1. Gordon/Tuefel (WC) vs. Danishanko/McKown (Rav); Thomas/Cline (PP) vs. 4. Beatty/Stewart (SM); 3. Ash/Kagieni (PCath) vs. Clements/Parr (WM); Bishop/Knutsen-Majad/Wilson winner vs. 2. Bennett/Adkins (OG)
Schedule: Play begins at 4 p.m on Thursday, May 3. The tournament continues at 9 a.m. on Friday, May 4. The rain day is Saturday, May 5
On the boys side, PHS is right on the cusp of advancing at least six brackets. As long as they uphold their seed in singles, Matt Gnegy, Ashton Whiteleather, Saaman Ghodsi and Alex D'Costa will stamp their ticket for state.
The same applies for Ghodsi and D'Costa at No. 2 doubles.
One major roadblock standing in the way of Gnegy and Whiteleather as the second seed at No. 1 doubles is the Huntington pair of Hunter Tubert and Robert Skolik, who had won 13 straight matches to open the season. Tubert had also reeled off 14 straight victories at No. 1 singles.
"I have an extraordinary group of kids that worked extremely hard this year," PHS coach Pam Reeves said. "We're in a great place and hope the next two days work out best for them because they are ready. The goal is to get the whole family down to state."
Host school Parkersburg South will rest their hopes on Joe Holland and Brandon Galici, who are seeded fourth at No. 1 doubles. As far as their chances in singles, they are on the bubble with Holland unseeded at No. 1 and Galici ranked fourth at No. 2.
"There is chemistry with Joe and Brandon in doubles they know each other's game," South boys coach Scott Ash said. "They know how to cover for each other."
Class AA-A, Region I
At West Liberty, W.Va.
Williamstown didn't back down to anyone during the regular season, and Yellowjacket coach Jay Carter is hoping that experience will pay off for the sophomore duo of Luke Flanagan and Aaron Leo, along with freshman Ryan Leo.
Williamstown joins Parkersburg Catholic, St. Marys, Ravenswood, Ritchie County, Madonna, Oak Glen, Wheeling Central and Point Pleasant for the Class AA-A, Region I field this afternoon at West Liberty University.
"We played triple-A schools Parkersburg and Cabell Midland along with Bluefield and Charleston Catholic to prepare the guys to deal with pressure," Carter said.
Against regional opponents, Flanagan and the two Leos were a combined 27-4. In singles, Flanagan is seeded second at No. 1 as are Aaron Leo at No. 2 and Ryan Leo at No. 3. Flanagan and Aaron Leo at No. 1 doubles, along with Ryan Leo and Alex Gedon at No. 2, are ranked third.
Parkersburg Catholic also has a slew of potential state qualifiers, including Ariel Shulman who is ranked No. 1 at No. 1 singles. All three Crusaderette doubles entries were seeded in the top four, including the No. 3 pair of Kate Clowes and Audrey Eisenmann who are ranked first.
Ritchie County's Veronica Mueller and Olivia Haught are strong candidates to advance in both singles and doubles, while Ravenswood's Taylor Youell could qualify in two events while teaming up with No. 2 doubles partner Alex McNabb.
