RHS wants to stay longer than a day

By CAROL STUART
For Brentwood Home Page

The heat is on as Ravenwood girls and Brentwood High boys tennis teams take the courts in pursuit of state titles on Tuesday.

RHS freshman Sean Karl, nationally ranked in 16s juniors, and two Raptors doubles teams have opening matches on Thursday.

Brentwood's boys tennis team drew three-time defending champion Science Hill from Johnson City as the opening opponent in Tuesday's 3 p.m. semifinals at Old Fort Park in Mufreesboro. The winner will advance to Wednesday's 1:30 p.m. Class AAA finals.

"It'll be the toughest match. ... They're probably the best team in the state," said Andy Veal, in his first year coaching the Brentwood team. "We'll see how we do. We'll have a better idea (Tuesday)."

The Ravenwood girls team's opening match is at 1 p.m. Tuesday against Cleveland, with the winner advancing to the 11:30 a.m. finals Wednesday.

"We're just going down there to play," RHS tennis coach A.W. Speake said. "I think this heat is going to be factor. We're going to find out who's in shape. The individuals will have to play two matches on Thursday if they win, and that second match is going to be a hot match."

BHS boys team draw

The Bruins are led by No. 1 singles player Alex Howard, who was just named the Brentwood Home Page Athlete of the Year from BHS.

Brentwood finished runner-up last year, losing in the finals to Science Hill 4-0. BHS won the state boys tennis team title in 2005 and was also runner-up in 2006 and '03. Science Hill has won four championships in eight years, winning the first Class AAA crown in 2002.

Drake Hernandez plays No. 2 singles, with Lukas Peterson at No. 3, Ryan Satterfield at No. 4 and Evan Barowski at No. 5. Howard teams with Hernandez in No. 1 doubles, with Barowski-Satterfield at No. 2. In the state team format, only five singles and two doubles teams compete.

"We're kind of excited," Veal said Monday. "We got a good practice in today, and I think we'll be ready."

RHS girls team play

Sophomore Lauren Caballero, at No. 1 singles for the Lady Raptors, lost only two matches this season -- both to Centennial's Kaylene Chadwell. Caballero also teams with No. 2 Madison Stankevich in No. 1 doubles, and the duo qualified for this week's doubles competition.

Ravenwood made its first state tourney appearance last year, losing to eventual champion Science Hill in the girls team semis.

"It makes a big difference. Last year we were just happy to get there," Speake said. "This year our motto is 'We're going to stay for more than a day.' "

Williamson County schools also are already out this year, which could be another big factor, Speake believes. "Last year in our semifinal match, our girls were more concerned about not missing their last test than on playing tennis."

Cleveland defeated Murfreesboro's Siegel High in the sectionals 4-3, "so they're a good team -- Siegel is a good team," Speake said. "It should be a dogfight."

Science Hill and White Station, last year's runner-up, play in the other semifinal Tuesday.

RHS freshman Vivian Hao plays No. 3 singles, and Caroline Morelli "worked incredibly hard" to move from eighth last year to play No. 4 this season, Speake said. Kayla Anthony is at No. 5, while Hao-Morelli are the No. 2 doubles team.

RHS singles-doubles matches

Karl, who defeated Howard in the sectionals to advance to state, carries high hopes for Ravenwood in the boys singles. Karl, with only one loss this season, faces Knoxville West sophomore Steven Patrick at 9 a.m. Thursday in the AAA quarterfinals.

Karl is nationally ranked and rated No. 3 in the state in USTA 16s beginning 2010, while Patrick was 13th in the state. Also in Karl's half of the draw are Michael Chen of Science Hill and Travis Hyman of Memphis Central.

"He should go a long way," Speake said. "He's ranked pretty high in the nation -- the top 20 in the nation boys 16s."

Karl's only loss was a third-set tiebreaker against Montgomery Bell Academy.

Doubles quarterfinals also begin play at 9 a.m. Thursday. In the boys draw, Ravenwood juniors Nishant Biswas and Nihkil Sharma will take on Hendersonville's duo of senior Ryan Weatherly and sophomore Matthew Heinrich.

"I think we've got a pretty good draw," Speake said. "I think they can win the first round and get to the semis."

In the girls bracket, Caballero-Stankevich, whose only doubles loss was to Harpeth Hall, will play Knoxville Catholic's sophomore Katie McCarty and freshman Emily Holloway.

"It's kind of funny draw -- the top four teams are upstairs, and the bottom four are downstairs. I sure wish they were seeded," Speake said.

Class AAA singles and doubles semifinals will be 2 p.m. Thursday. Girls finals are at 9 a.m. Friday, and boys finals at 11 a.m.

For more information on the Spring Fling, visit http//www.tssaa.org.