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Four girls head to tennis finals
By greg Gulas
The Canfield High girls tennis team went 20-1 this season and won a third consecutive All-American Conference Red Tier title.
The season will be capped as the doubles team of senior Kaitlin Kaleel and sophomore Allison Pavlansky qualified for the Division I state tournament, which begins Friday at Ohio State.
In Trumbull County, the Warren JFK girls coasted to a 19-0 regular-season mark and will send their No. 1 singles player, Allison Ross, to the Div. II tournament, while Liberty High, which went 11-8 and placed third in the All-American Conference Blue Tier, will be represented by Victoria Ferry.
The common denominator for all four qualifiers is simple — each is be making her first trip to the state tournament and representing their respective coaches, who in turn have the first state qualifiers of which they can boast.
Pavlansky and Kaleel were the Cardinals’ No. 1 and 2 singles players during the season.
“They won the second flight of doubles at the Cardinal Classic and that came against some stiff competition in the form of Hathaway Brown, Cleveland Magnificat and Upper Arlington,” said Canfield coach Rob Stephens.
Pavlansky, who also lettered as a freshman on the girls basketball team for her father, Pat, went 12-5 in regular season play and is excited to be heading to the state.
“If we play our game, we’ll be fine because we really have yet to peak,” Pavlansky said.
Kaleel, who went 16-1 at No. 2 singles, said the hard work put in by both players is now beginning to pay dividends.
“The extra work that we put in during the season playing against each other after practice, and against the other players and our friends is now paying off for both of us.”
JFK coach Lana Eaton says Ross has the ability to win it all because of one very important intangible.
“Chelsea has the mental toughness necessary to win. She never gets upset or flustered, even when she is down a set,” said Eaton.
Ross used her backhand to forge a 16-1 mark at No. 1 singles and calls her trip to the state the crown jewel of her high school career.
“To end my career at the state is definitely a great feeling,” she said. “If I just play my best, remain focused and determined then anything can happen.”
Ferry, a junior, went 16-3 during the regular season. She came full circle from a quad injury that she suffered early in the season in order to make her first state appearance.
“If I expect to do well, then I need to have good placement off ground strokes and remain mentally tough,” said Ferry.