LEVELS: 4.0 to Open
DATES: July 30-August 1
SITES: DALLAS - LB Houston, Brookhaven, T Bar M, Greenhill and Northwood
HOTEL HQ: Marriott Quorum
Week 1 is in the books and eight new champions claimed title at the 2010 USTA Texas Adult League Championships held in Dallas, July 30-August 1.
Over 1000 players on more than 80 teams competed in levels ranging from 4.0 to Open. Temperatures were blazing hot, eclipsing 105 degrees on Saturday afternoon.
Wild Dallas won the Ladies 4.0 division with a 5-0 win over Lubbock in the finals. Wild Dallas advanced to the championship after squeaking out a 3-2 over Corpus Christi in the semifinals. Lubbock reached the championship after getting past Houston, 3-2, in the semifinals.
Wild Dallas, who played out of The Greenhill School this season, was captained by Shelly Odell and included team members: Stacy Woodard, Cindy Kipp, Nycole Vu, Jenny Lavey, Christine Dvorsky, Suzi Walker, Marilee Gaughan, Michelle De La Valdene, Joann Burke, Shana Lazarine, Raquel Flora Syre, Alyssa Williams, Keasha Behrman, Kay Ann Cook, Sheila Sergiovanni, Heather Turck, Karla Estrello, Leslie Boone, Patricia Harvey and Rachel Sampeck.
Midland, who qualified for the championship by winning the Abilene Qualifying Tournament, captured the Ladies 4.5 title. Midland edged Northeast Texas, 3-2, in the finals. Midland also snuck past Wild Houston, 3-2, in the semifinals, while Northeast Texas got past Houston, 3-2, in the other semifinal.
Barbara Starnes was the Midland captain which included: Tai Lucero, Kim Daugherty, Mary Alice Blacketer, Tibby Niehues, Mollly Jo Marcum, Ame Blacketer, Claudia Ruehl, Robin Lynn Ward, Haley Tabor, Lisa Ann Hill and Jenny Holloman.
The Ladies Open division was hard fought, as Dallas and San Antonio both finished 3-1 in the three-team round robin. San Antonio defeated Dallas on Friday, but Dallas returned the favor on Saturday, forcing the tie. The first tiebreaker was individual lines won, where both teams were even at nine. The difference-maker was sets lost, as Dallas dropped only seven sets to San Antonio’s 10, giving them the edge.
The Dallas captain was Jennifer Engels and the team included: Christy Cook, Val Weidlich, Andrea Dodd, Dorothy Ripka, Lilien Vo, Lynsie Jones, Erica Dopson, Teri Ware, Julie Jacqueline Gibson, Kayla Blackburn, Zdena Rebeka Hopkins, Laurie McDaniel, Dena Coe, Mercedes Fernandez, Lisa Waller, Lacy Caldwell and Melissa Holzinger.
For the second time in three years, the Lubbock men captured the Men’s 4.0 division. Lubbock swept San Angelo, 5-0, in the finals after getting past Austin, 3-2, in the semifinals. San Angelo reached the title match with a 3-2 win over Waco.
The Lubbock team, which played out of the Lubbock Country Club, was captained by Brad Andrews. His team included: David Regan Simek, Joseph Schaunaman, Jody Bolin, Wagner Wicks, Lance Coleman, Kyle Swanson, Mark Weaver, Tracy Starkey, Justin Boydstun, Eric McDonald, Stephen Stripling, Trevor Edgemon and Cliff Wilkes.
Dallas won the Men’s 4.5 division with a 4-1 decision over Wild San Antonio in the title match. Dallas also had to get past San Antonio in the semifinals, winning 3-2, while Wild San Antonio defeated Waco, 3-2, in the other semi.
Rusty Branch was the Dallas team captain. Also included on the team were: Todd Feldman, Donnie Pollard, Kevin Durten, Justin Huffman, Wesley James, Wil Saqueton, Paul Kiron, Chris Slezak, Kole Frink, Michael Kelly, Dustin Viktorin, Brandon Underwood, Jon Stein, Walter Williams, Rafael Ledezma, Eugene Davis and Jehan Akhtar .
Fort Worth and the Omanas dominated both the Men’s 5.0 and 5.5 divisions.
The 5.0 team, went 4-0 in a five-team round robin, dropping only two lines all weekend. Rafael Omana captained the team, which included: Jason Moore, Powhatan French, Jack Sheehy, Dustin Tankersley, Seth McCarthy, Raymond Paul Haley, John Haley, Scott Eddins, Ricardo Omana and Ryan Vogl.
The 5.5 team, defeated Dallas twice on Saturday to win the best-of-three series. Rafael Omana also captained this squad, co-captained by Guillaume Gauthier. The team inclided: Dmitry Minkin, Ricardo Omana, Alejandro Chong, Scott Eddins, Daniel Omana, James Daly and Theron Cole.
Houston, boasting an all-star lineup, swept the double round robin in the Men’s Open division. Houston defeated both Austin and San Antonio twice, dropping only one line along the way.
Captain Toby Enqvist’s team included: Graydon Oliver, Jack Brasington, Chris Toomey, Darin Mast, Ryan Newport, William Barker, Robert Collins and Richard Barker.