GIRLS TENNIS REGIONAL PREVIEW: Adams enjoying revival on courts, looks for state finals berth
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
ROCHESTER HILLS — Rochester Adams was once a state power in girls tennis, winning the Clas sA state title in 1987 and having several state-finals teams throughout the past three-plus decades.
In recent years, the Highlanders have dropped off the map some, despite producing an individual state champion in Division 2 two years ago. It has been a decade since Adams last finished in the top 10 at the state finals.
Now back up in Division 1, Adams is having its best overall season in years. The OAA White Division champion Highlanders hope to be in contention for a state finals berth this Friday, when the Rochester Schools host a regional.
With Rochester High’s courts still under renovation, Adams, Stoney Creek and Auburn Hills Avondale’s courts will be used, with Adams serving as the main site.
“We didn’t really lose much to graduation,” admitted Adams coach Greg Burks last month. “We have some talent and I’m hoping at the end of the season that we can be competitive enough to hopefully make it to the state finals. That would be nice for this group.”
Clarkston is the defending D-1 state champ and won this regional last season. Rochester, ninth in the state last season, and West Bloomfield, which just missed out on a state berth last year, graduated high numbers and are not expected to qualify. Lake Orion and Rochester Stoney Creek could also score well and will join West Bloomfield and Rochester as other teams that could score well.
All which leaves Clarkston and Adams as the teams to beat. Clarkston enters the postseason ranked fourth and has an outside chance of defending its state tile, while Adams is fast-improving and could end up a top-10 team by season’s end with a young and talented lineup.
While Clarkston is going after its ninth straight state qualifying berth, Adams is going after just its fourth state qualifying mark in the past decade.
Adams finished tied for 12th with five points in 2010 in Division 2, but all of those points came from No.1 singles player Anne Marie Morin. The Highlanders did not qualify as a team that season.
Adams made the cut in Division 2 in 2009 (18th), 2004 (18th) and 2003 (12th), while the Highlanders were also ninth in Division 1 in 2002. That was the last time they qualified in Division 1.
“I think we might have a chance, but you never know for sure how those flights will end up,” noted Burks. “Clarkston is definitely the team to beat at the regional. They were state champs last year. But I think we’re better than we were last year. If that can result in us making the state meet, that will be nice accomplishment for a young team.”
DIVISION 1 AT GROSSE POINTE SOUTH: As in past years, Grosse Pointe South, Troy and Troy Athens will commence as the three teams with realistic aspirations of making it to the state finals. All three have solid teams, although host South is the favorite.
With the top two teams, plus additional teams scoring at least 18 points, earning state finals passes, all three teams could be able to make the cut. South enters the postseason ranked second with Troy ranked 10th. Athens was second in the OAA White Division and has also fared well this season and hopes to earn a berth as an additional qualifier.
DIVISION 2 AT HOLLY: Fenton, Holly and flushing will all duke it out for state qualifying berths and all three have fielded competitive teams in 2012.
Lapeer West and Ortonville Brandon could also score well and take points away from the leaders.
Fenton edged Holly by one point at Tuesday’s Flint Metro League meet, snapping the Bronchos’ streak of league championships at 29 straight. The two teams tied 4-4 in a dual match earlier this month.
“That was tough, but we still feel that we should be in the hunt to make it back to the state finals,” said Holly coach Will Sophia. “I think there are three teams with a legitimate chance if everyone plays to the seeds.”
Holly has qualified for the state tournament every year in the past decade, including 16th last season. The Bronchos’ best effort in the past decade was 2004, where they finished tied for third overall.
DIVISION 2 AT NORTH FARMINGTON: This is one of the state’s top regionals with No. 2 Bloomfield Hills Andover, No. 7 Bloomfield Hills Lahser and No. 8 Farmington Hills Mercy leading the cast of hopefulls. With Farmington, Auburn Hills Avondale and Farmington Harrison also in the group, those teams could pull enough points away to halt a third team from making the cut.
Andover was third in the tough OAA Red Division this season, while Lahser and Mercy are also perennial powerhouse schools.
DIVISION 4 AT ALMONT: Top-ranked Bloomfield Hills Sacred Heart and sixth-ranked Pontiac Notre Dame Prep lead this group, which also features, Flint Powers Catholic, Armada.
While Sacred Heart has fielded many top-10 teams in recent years, Notre Dame Prep made a rare appearance at the state finals last season. The Irish were second at the regional and a school-best 12th at the D-4 state finals last season.
“We’ve had a really nice year considering that we graduated seven players from last year,” offered Notre Dame Prep coach Pete Riley. “But we picked up a couple of players off our varsity reserves, a nice transfer, a couple of players from our junior varsity and then added some nice freshmen. I think our singles lineup might be better than last season, but our doubles lineup was more experienced last season because we had a ton of seniors at doubles. This year we have a lot of new players.”
That hasn’t deterred the Irish from having one of its best seasons in school history. Notre Dame Prep is 10-1-0 in duals, won the CHSL AA Division crown and placed fifth overall at the CHSL A-B League Tournament last weekend.
Another state finals pass and top-10 finish at the state finals would make this the most memorable year to date for the Irish.
HOW THEY FARED AT THE STATE FINALS IN THE PAST DECADE:
CLARKSTON
2011 (D-1, first, 27 points)
2010 (D-1, seventh, 14 points)
2009 (D-1, 14th, four points)
2008 (D-1, eighth, 10 points)
2006 (D-1, seventh, 14 points)
2005 (D-1, fifth, 16 points)
2004 (D-1, fourth, 20 points)
2003 (D-1, 14th, three points)
HOLLY
2011 (D-2, 16th, two points)
2010 (D-2, 12th, five points)
2009 (D-2, 13th, six points)
2008 (D-2, 19th, one point)
2006 (D-2, 13th, five points)
2005 (D-2, 14th, six points)
2004 (D-2, third, 15 points)
2003 (D-2, 12th, six points
2002 (D-2, 16th, three points)
ORTONVILLE BRANDON
2010 (D-2, 23rd, 0 points)
2008 (D-2, 19th, one point)
PONTIAC NOTRE DAME PREP
2011 (D-4, 12th, seven points)
2004 (D-3, 25th, 0 points)
ROCHESTER
2011 (D-1, ninth, 10 points)
2010 (D-1, 12th, nine points)
2009 (D-1, ninth, nine points)
2008 (D-1, fourth, 15 points)
ROCHESTER ADAMS
2010 (D-2, 12th, five points; only had one state qualifier)
2009 (D-2, 14th, four points)
2008 (D-2, eighth, 10 points)
2004 (D-2, 18th, one point)
2003 (D-2, 12th, six points)
2002 (D-1, ninth, 10 points)
ROCHESTER STONEY CREEK
2008 (D-2, 17th, two points)
2004 (D-2, 15th, three points)
TROY
2011 (D-1, ninth, 10 points)
2010 (D-1, sixth, 15 points)
2009 (D-1, eighth, 10 points)
2008 (D-1, 11th, nine points)
2006 (D-1, seventh, 14 points)
2005 (D-1, fourth, 18 points)
2004 (D-1, fifth, 15 points)
2003 (D-1, first 28 points)
2002 (D-1, sixth, six points)
TROY ATHENS
2011 (D-1, 19th, 0 points)
2010 (D-1, 24th, 0 points)
2008 (D-1, 20th, 0 points)
FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE: http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=Tennis&x=13&y=4
STATE RANKINGS: http://northoaklandsports.com/2012/05/16/prep-state-rankings-may-16-2/
LEAGUE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: http://northoaklandsports.com/2012/05/16/girls-tennis-adams-royal-oak-clinch-oaa-titles/
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