Published: May 13, 2008 04:20 pm            

Clarks earn third straight regional title

Monticello — The Wayne County Girls Tennis Team competed in the 12th Region Girls

Tournament last weekend, and they left their mark on the event. The Clark

sisters, Ceysha and Casi, earned their third straight regional title in

doubles and overall, the team claimed its highest ranking in program history

as they finished third.

"I was just elated by this season...This is the best our team has ever

finished in the region," said Coach Hardin Phillips. "The Clarks are a

perfect 19-0 in doubles for the season, and they are going to the state

again...To win a regional championship once in any sport is hard, but to win

it three times in a row is unbelievable."

The girls regional tennis event got underway Friday at Berea. Each

school in the region could enter two doubles teams and two singles in the

event. On Friday, three Wayne County teams came away with wins, including

two in singles competition and one in doubles competition.

In singles competition, Emily Eicher beat Chelsey Atwater from Berea in

her opening match and advanced to meet the number one-seeded player in the

region, Cee Cee Witten of Boyle County. Eicher lost her match on Saturday to

Witten, who is considered among the elite tennis players in the state.

Also in action on Friday, Wayne County's Nicole Davis defeated Tiffany

Noe, of Southwestern, to advance to the second round. Davis lost to the

number two-seeded player in the region, Haley Hart from Lincoln County, in

the next round played on Saturday.

Wayne County's doubles team of Whitney Neal and Brittany Chaplin won

their match against Pulaski County's Burkett and Way on Friday. Neal and

Chaplin lost to Casey County's Overstreet and True in action on Saturday.

The Clark sisters, who were rated as the top doubles team in the region,

received a first round bye and did not take the court until Saturday. They

defeated the team of Patel and Wilson from Somerset and advanced to play

Casey County's team of Ponder and Price. A win over the Casey County players

put the Clarks in the semifinal round on Sunday.

The tournament moved inside to Eastern Kentucky University on Saturday.

The Clarks defeated Danville's team of Polinerdio and Nelson to advance to

the championship match against the Daley sisters from Mercer County.

It was sisters against sisters in the championship match and the Clarks

came away with their third regional title. They will advance to the state

tournament which is set for May 22-25 in Lexington.

The last two years the Clarks have been unrated entering state

competition, but Phillips hopes that changes this year. With their

undefeated record and their third consecutive regional championship,

Phillips hopes the sisters are ranked in the top 16 at the state tournament.

Meanwhile, it is the boys turn this week. Wayne County's Boys Tennis

Team will compete in the regional tournament this weekend at Berea.

        

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