TENNIS Boardman tennis duo win title

Gina Peretti and Stephanie Berry of Boardman and Sarah Lyras of Mooney are state-bound.
CLEVELAND -- When the Boardman High School girls doubles tennis team of Gina Peretti and Stephanie Berry advanced to the state Division I tournament as sophomores last year, the pressure of playing in the big event may have been too much.
After playing singles all season they paired for the doubles tournament but fell in the first round of the state.
Saturday at the Rocky River district tournament, Peretti and Berry defeated two teams from Massillon Jackson High School to win the event and will now play in the state as the top seed from the area and with a season of experience.
Now 8-0: The two Spartans again played in singles during the year and have an 8-0 doubles record, all in post season.
"These two girls are both strong players," Boardman coach Jeff Hammerton said. "They play a different style doubles than most other girls.
"They are always on the attack; always on the offensive. They try to put away the first shot as soon as they can and end the point as quick as possible."
After beating Sarah Lehman and Meggie Glassburn of Massillon Jackson in the sectional championship match, Peretti and Berry defeated them again for the district crown, 6-2, 6-2.
Peretti and Berry downed another Massillon Jackson team of Gina Tamburro and Claire Bing in the district semifinals, 6-1, 6-1. The Boardman team defeated the same girls in the semifinals of the sectional.
The two Massillon Jackson teams played doubles during the season and were undefeated before meeting the Spartans.
Hammerton said he would not be surprised if his players meet one of the Massillon Jackson teams in the state meet, perhaps in one of the later rounds.
"We go there as the number one seed and that is very important," Hammerton said. "Your draw will be a little easier.
"They must stay aggressive, attack the net as much as possible and play together as a team," Hammerton said of his players plans at the state meet.
Division II: MASSILLON -- Sarah Lyras of Mooney High finished third in the district tournament at Jackson Park courts and will play in her fourth straight Div. II state tournament.
Lyras lost a semifinal match to Emily Howard of Walsh Jesuit, but bounced back to defeated Lindsey Powel of Hathaway Brown, 6-4, 2-6, 6-1.
Warriors move on: The West Branch doubles team of Ashley Kelly and Katherina Martin placed fourth, but still earned a berth for the state event.
The Warriors duo lost a semifinal match to Natalie Stevens and Stephanie Sanker of Bay Village 6-3, 6-7 (6-0), 6-1 and then to Linsey Fleissner and Ashley Kurtz of Walsh Jesuit, 6-0, 6-1.
Molly McCluskey and Shelby Vojtech of Walsh Jesuit eliminated Poland's Amanda Friedrich and Erin Bennett, 6-4, 6-1 and went on to earn the fifth berth.