News 2006/07/22

Both Bay Area tennis teams continued their hot summer play during last weekend's Southern Oregon U.S. Tennis Association Team Tennis Championship, hosted in Coos Bay.

The 14-and-under Barracudas won their division, while the 18-and-under Sea Lions placed second, punching both teams a ticket to the USTA Junior Team Tennis State Championships, held Aug. 12-13, in Eugene.

For the Barracudas, the tournament couldn't have been any tighter. They held off Eugene Swim & Tennis Club's Touring Team 21-20 in the finals, only a day after leading the same club by one point in round robin play. The round robin play determined bracket seeding, and, as was expected, both teams met in the finals. Head coach Ed Thompson was very pleased with his young team's composure.

“It was really exciting, and you can imagine it was tense all the way.” said Thompson. “The kids we played against were very, very good.”

The Sea Lions ended the tournament second to the Ferocious Sloths of Dallas, with a cummulative score of 111-89.

“The players grouped together and got what was needed done,” said the coach.

Thompson was very content with the pressure-packed play of the Barracudas, pointing out the notable efforts of Jon Massie and the doubles team of Jamie Moriarty and Marcus Boesl. Massie lost his singles match in the round robin 6-3 to a player from the Touring Team, but rebounded to beat the same player in the finals with dominating fashion, taking the match 6-0.

“He came back and demonstrated great concentration and composure,” said Thompson.

The doubles team of Moriarty and Boesl was as steady as a rock for the Barracuda's, never losing a match.

“They played with experience,” Thompson said.

For all their successes of both squads, Thompson sees several areas of improvement.

“We're going to have to be a more proficient in serving, the consistency of balls in play,” he said. “And we're going to have to work on our fitness.”