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Wharton, Newsome Boys To Clash

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By KATHERINE SMITH | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 24, 2009

TAMPA - With all due respect to its previous opponents, Wharton's boys tennis team has been looking forward to Thursday's match against Newsome for quite a while.

The Wildcats expect Newsome to try to put a dent in their unbeaten status.

"It will be nice to see how the team responds to this challenge," Wharton coach Marcie Scholl said.

Thursday might not be the only meeting for these teams this season. They have the potential to meet again in the playoffs. Both lead their districts and could face each other in the Class 3A-Region 5 tournament.

Wharton, the defending 3A champion, has rolled to an 8-0 record, while Newsome (9-1) suffered its lone loss to Freedom, albeit without No. 1 singles player Andy Hersh. The Wildcats will be led by No. 1 singles player Michael Alford.

In addition to Alford, most of Wharton's players were members of last year's state championship squad.

"These boys remember how great it felt when we won it all," Scholl said. "They want that again, and they know what they have to do to get it."

Scholl has mixed up her lineups this season, saving her top five for district meets, allowing her to build some depth. The strategy has paid off with an undefeated season - so far.

"We're a year older and I think a stronger team than we were last year," Scholl said.

NOT SO WILD CATS: While Wharton's boys have rolled, the young girls team ran into a wall, suffering its first two losses of the season. First, the Wildcats lost to Chamberlain, 6-1, on Thursday. Midori Maeda won the lone match for Wharton.

Friday, Wharton lost to neighborhood rival Freedom, 4-3. The Patriots took four of the five singles matches to secure the victory.

Trying to regroup, the Wildcats face another tough team in Newsome on Thursday. The Wolves improved to 10-1 with a 4-3 victory Monday against Academy of the Holy Names.

BUDGET CRUNCH: Tennis and golf, often referred to as the country club sports, are some of the first sports targeted when the subject of budget cuts come up.

Some plans have called for cutting the number of matches each team plays. On the extreme side, some counties have had discussions of cutting the sports entirely.

That would be a mistake, those involved in the sports say.

"It's a lifestyle sport," Scholl said. "This is a sport these kids can play into their 80s.

"I just can't see them doing away with it."

Reporter Katherine Smith can be reached at (813) 731-8025.

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