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Regional repeats in sight for Catholic tennis

PARKERSBURG — Last year was the biggest surprise Parkersburg Catholic tennis head coach Jason Discini could have asked for during his two-year tenure at the helm. His Crusaders’ boys and girls teams each brought home Class AA/A Region II titles after three days of competition between trips to Morgantown and Robert C. Byrd High School.

Discini knew his boys team, which returned a strong core from the 2017 state title group, was in the running, but the girls were different. Daughter and top-seeded player Marie along with No. 2 singles player Hannah Sprout entered the matches on high levels, but bottom two singles’ players Ira Casado and Julia Ambrozy needed to take their games to the next levels. They did, and the Crusaders hoisted the trophy because of the raised performances.

One year later, all signs point toward probable repeats for both groups of players. Though every boys position featured a new player and the girls doubles teams and bottom two singles seeds needed reconstructed, each Crusader team went undefeated and 12 of the 14 regional slots are seeded. That was one fact Discini couldn’t help but sound excited about three days before the tournament.

“This is awesome,” he said on the outcome of Sunday’s seeding meeting. “These kids developed well. You look at (No. 2 singles player) Ben Vierheller who was last year our No. 4 player is seeded No. 2 this year. You have Cary Roberts seeded No. 1 as a freshman in No. 3 singles. Bradon Nguyen is seeded No. 1 at No. 4 and he developed into the player I thought he would have been last year.”

Marie and Hannah played like the defending singles’ state champions on the girls’ side and each received the top seed and byes in the opening round. Discini though isn’t letting her position go to her head by looking forward to an attempted three-peat in Charleston.

“I am just focusing on one match at a time and not keeping my head trapped in the clouds,” said Discini, who dropped one game all year. “I know I am a favorite every year for states but it’s not as easy as it seems with practicing and preparing for everything. I am really preparing by working hard with my teammates and training in Athens (with her coach) with all the hard work.”

Each player also forms one-half of the top-seeded doubles teams in No. 1 and No. 2. Following two years together as the top doubles team, Discini and wife Lorraine made the decision to split them up. Each were capable of carrying the load of being paired with incoming freshman Taylor Islay (Marie) and Makenzie Campbell (Hannah).

“Taylor and I definitely meshed as a doubles team, there are definitely no kinks,” said Marie.

Overall, the draws fell in the Crusaders favor in almost every bracket. Only three players will be on court during the first day of competition in No. 1 singles player and fourth-seeded Aidan Roberts, No. 3 girls’ doubles team Cecilia Shaw and Claire Erdeyli, and No. 4 girls’ singles player Campbell.

Roberts came in at a surprising fourth-seed after an illness caused him to miss time. He chose his matches carefully and played what he needed to be seeded for regionals. He sounded confident he is ready for the challenge.

“That was a rough month but I am back to normal now and ready to go,” said the 2018 Class AA/A No. 2 singles’ player state runner-up. “It isn’t affecting me where I am seeded. I am going to go in and do the best I can and hope I do well.”

Discini echoed his top players confidence when asked how he feels about his entire team. “I am confident in my whole team is probably the best answer I could give,” he said

Williamstown joins its LKC partner in the region. The Yellowjackets’ paths to the state tournament are much harder. Outside of Diane and Dave Leo’s bottom two girls’ singles players and boys No. 3 singles player, all have to play on three straight days.

The pair are joined by Braxton County, Bridgeport, Elkins, Grafton, Lewis County, Liberty, Moorefield, Notre Dame, Philip Barbour, Robert C. Byrd, Trinity and Wirt County.

Competition begins at 1 p.m. Thursday at Robert C. Byrd High School for the boys and Bridgeport’s Deegan Lake for the girls.

West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission policy takes the top 4 No. 1 singles, top 3 No. 2 singles, top 2 No. 3 singles and No. 4 regional champion in next week’s master bracket in Charleston. The top 3 No. 1 doubles and top 2 No. 2 doubles teams along with the No. 3 doubles regional champion also qualify for a trip to Charleston’s Ritter Park.

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