Girls tennis: Decatur and Jefferson share SPSL Central title

The Thomas Jefferson girls tennis team will share the South Puget Sound League Central Division championship with the Decatur Gators. Both teams finished 9-1 in league play.

The Raiders clinched the title with a 4-1 win over Auburn Riverside Thursday afternoon.

The Gators secured their share of the SPSL Central Division championship with a pair of wins earlier in the week, including a huge victory over Jefferson.

The Gators beat the Raiders Monday and Curtis on Wednesday. The win over TJ was a match that could have given the Raiders the SPSL Central championship outright. Jefferson beat Decatur in their first meeting of the season.

On Monday, the Gators won all three doubles matches against TJ to win by a 3-2 clip. Decatur head coach John Cassens switched up his normal lineup to include his best players on the doubles' court against the Raiders. Defending state singles champion, Meghan Cassens, and Jessica Kim won at No. 1 doubles, 6-2, 4-3 (retired) and Jen Kanesta and Christina Sessoms won their match at No. 3 doubles, 6-3, 6-4. The Gators' other win came from Sara Lin and Sabrina Schugarts at No. 2 doubles, 6-4, 7-5. It was Lin's first doubles match of the season.

Jefferson's two victories against the Gators came from Averi Kitsch at No. 1 singles, 6-0, 6-3, and Breanna Ziccarelli at No. 2 singles, 6-1, 6-3.

The Raiders got wins Thursday against Auburn Riverside from Kitsch at No. 1 singles, 4-6, 6-0, 10-8, and Ziccarelli at No. 2, 6-0, 6-1. Jefferson also got doubles' victories from Mackenzie Qualls and Caroline Min at No. 1, 6-3, 6-1, and Vanessa Sariego and Krista Nakamura at No. 2, 6-4, 6-1.

The two teams now advance to the postseason. The SPSL tournament kicks off at 8 a.m. at Auburn Riverside High School on Saturday. The tournament will continue on Monday at 9 a.m. with crossover matches at Kent-Meridian.

In other tennis action:

• The Federal Way Eagles improved to 3-6 on the season with a 3-2 win over Curtis Monday. The Eagles got victories from Haley Ward at No. 1 singles, 6-1, 6-0, Andrea Ferguson at No. 2 singles, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), and Mina Park and Lauren Lang at No. 1 doubles, 6-2, 6-2.

• The Beamer Titans fell to Auburn Riverside, 3-2, Monday. The Titans (1-7) got victories from Jessika Sutcliff at No. 1 singles, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), and Ruth Yi and Sandina Antoine at No. 1 doubles, 6-3, 6-2.

Contact Federal Way Mirror Sports editor Casey Olson at sports@fedwaymirror.com or (253) 925-5565 ext. 5056.

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