Heritage Hall ‘charges’ back to the top
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
4A was a stroll in the park for Dick Villaflor and his Heritage Hall girls tennis squad. OK, it wasn’t that easy, but I think if Heritage would have lost a match that would have been even more shocking than if McGuinness had dropped a match.
That’s how much better the Chargers were than the rest of the field this season.
Heritage Hall was in the unfortunate position of being in the same class as McGuinness lately. That wasn’t the case this year, and it took full advantage of it.
No. 1 singles player Julie Labarthe finishes her year at 28-1. Strangely enough, I saw her one loss. It was against Andrea Lewis of BK, and Labarthe was battling shin splints. Labarthe dropped a total of four games in her four matches at state.
I didn’t get to see much of No. 1 doubles team of Sarah Bowen and Becca Arnold, but Bowen is one heckuva little athlete. She plays the game the way I wished I could have many moon ago.
No. 2 singles player Carissa Villaflor had a tough semifinal match but overwhelmed Classen’s Melissa Dang in the championship.
Funny how it works out sometimes. Some girls would have been crushed placing second or fourth, and then there are others who rejoiced at it.
Like OCS’ Alli Morgan. She was seeded seventh (I believe) and ended up fourth, and you would have thought she won the championship.
And Classen’s Dang. She made history of her own becoming the first Classen girl to be a runner-up. She’s just a freshman, and she’ll be back. Love seeing that emotion from the kids.
Academic achievement award: Beaver, 4.0 GPA.
Had about a 90 minute delay for rain Saturday morning. Other than that, we were good. Time to look to the boys competition this weekend and of course, the always difficult All-City teams.
Irish eyes still smilin’…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Don’t think there was ever a question about whether or not McGuinness could make it title No. 11 in a row. Absolutely loaded at each spot that it really wasn’t possible for another team to make a dent in 5A.
However, there were some real tense moments in the McGuinness singles championship matches with Whitney Ritchie vs. Andrea Lewis (Bishop Kelley) and Mia Lancaster vs. Meredith Burns (Bishop Kelley).
A selfish part of me was hoping that Lancaster/Burns match would have went three sets because that would have easily been the match of the tournament.
Lancaster smoked Burns in the first set, 6-1, but Burns found her footing and waged a great duel in the second set and even led 5-2 at one point before losing in a tie-breaker. I believe it was 7-5 in the breaker.
Ritchie had beaten Lewis, 6-0, 6-0, in their only official meeting before Saturday. She was up 6-2, 5-2, at the Cascia Hall Tournament before it was called off because of rain.
Lewis came out and made a strong statement (and not just because she was my Player to Watch). She was up 4-1, and Ritchie was in real trouble with the hard-hitting Lewis.
That’s why I talked about Ritchie’s heart because she hadn’t been tested all season and came through in spades when she finally was.
It might be pure coincidence, but both Ritchie and Lancaster played extremely better once their teammates came around.
The No. 1 doubles team of Katelyn Connelly and Emily Conrad took care of business and quickly went over to watch Ritchie. That’s when Ritchie took over.
Then all three of those girls and the No. 2 doubles team of Ashleigh Chiaf and Trinian O’Neil ran over to watch Lancaster in that tight second set.
Their whole team unity is a lot more than just a cute thing to say. It’s real. McGuinness finished 102-0 in their respective positions this season.
I picked Duncan to edge Bishop Kelley, and I was two points off as the Comets held off the Demons for second place. To say 5A was top-heavy would be the understatement of the tournament.
And tough break about Booker T. Washington’s Lili Johnson. She had split the first two sets with Lewis in the semifinals before cramping up and having to default that match and her third-place match with Duncan’s Melanie Barnes. Hate to see that happen at the state tournament.
Academic achievement award: Duncan, 4.0 GPA.
Huskies reclaim 6A crown…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
You enter the state tournament with some pre-conceived notions. As much as you try not to, you just do. That was the case for me last weekend at the state tennis tournament.
Everything I’ve read, everything I’ve heard had me pointing the Class 6A girls championship to Jenks. The Trojans were ranked No. 1 all season, and it wasn’t without reason.
But on the biggest stage and the most important weekend of the season, it was Edmond North that ended up going 15-1 as a team, winning three individual state titles and its first team title since 2006.
Why was I wrong?
Two spots: No. 2 singles and No. 2 doubles.
You look at Claire Atkinson, and you don’t figure her to cause that many problems for some of the bigger hitters in the game.
Calling her tiny isn’t meant to be disrespectful because she is. But boy oh boy does she pack a punch in that little frame.
Taking on Rachel Scroggs of Jenks in the championship, I would have bet (and lost) a lot on picking Scroggs. The junior was 28-2 at the time while Atkinson was solid at 32-6.
Atkinson winning wasn’t that big of a stretch but to do so by scores of 6-1, 6-3, was.
And then the No. 2 doubles team of Natalie Price and Reagan Reed. They were paired up late by head coach Dee Ann Wallar and only had 10 matches together entering state.
They still don’t know defeat as they took out two Jenks seniors in the championship, only losing a game in each of the two sets.
And my Player to Watch (Rachel Mitcham) came through to win the No. 1 singles crown in three sets. By the time her match concluded, her battle with Jenks’ Jennifer Buntz decided the team race. If Buntz won, the teams would have tied.
My prediction: Jenks, Edmond Memorial, Edmond North. Actual result: EN, Jenks, EM.
Academic achievement award: Edmond Memorial and Norman, 4.0 GPA.
Girls Tennis Preview (what to watch for)
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Biggest thing to watch for is the weather. Here’s to hoping we get everything in this weekend.
As much as I love tennis, it’s the first sport that has to be called off with even the smidgest amount of rain.
Ever played on a slippery court? You like having healthy legs? Don’t play on a slippery court unless you want to mess up your knees, or ankles or hamstrings. It’s brutal.
But with that said, what should you be watching for this weekend at the state tournament?
Class 6A
Biggest question: Can anyone pose a real threat to Jenks? I don’t think so. Admittedly, haven’t seen the Trojan girls this season. Just been looking at the numbers and remember how strong they were last year.
Edmond Memorial has the best chance while Edmond North is solid, too. If you combined the schools, they’d be dynamite.
But as is, see it being Jenks-EM-EN finish.
Player to watch: Rachel Mitcham, Edmond North. The No. 1 singles field is about as open as can be.
With Jennifer Buntz of Jenks, Mackenzie Zaloudek of Enid and Lindsay Choi of Edmond Memorial, it’ll be a real battle for the crown.
When Mitcham is on her game, she’s the best. She’ll have to bring it this weekend.
Class 5A
Biggest question: Will McGuinness sweep? I’m not trying to be a jerk, but that is the drama for me. Whitney Ritchie and Mia Lancaster are some of the best juniors in the country (not just state) and the No. 1 doubles team of Katelyn Connelly and Emily Conrad would be singles players just about anywhere else.
This is a loaded field, though. Andrea Lewis of Bishop Kelley, Melanie Barnes of Duncan, Meredith Burns of BK immediately come to mind as real threats who could pull off an upset or two.
The real battle will be for second b/w Duncan and Bishop Kelley. And based on what I’ve seen, I’m going to go for a minor upset and say Duncan places second with BK closely behind.
Player to watch: I’ma say Andrea Lewis of Bishop Kelley. She’s a two-time state champion. When she played Whitney Ritchie earlier this year, she lost 6-0, 6-0. There were extenuating circumstances, but still, think Lewis will have a lot of pride if the two meet in the championship.
Class 4A
Biggest question: Will Heritage Hall’s new line-up prove dividends? Dick Villalfor changed up his crew late in the game, moving No. 2 singles player Sarah Bowen to No. 1 doubles and moving No. 1 doubles player Carissa Villaflor to the No. 2 singles spot.
He said it will give him the best chance at state in both positions but definitely an interesting move. Tough to question someone who has won as many championships as Villaflor.
Heritage Hall and Cascia Hall were pretty dominant at their regionals and have been ranked No. 1 and No. 2 throughout the season, and that order shouldn’t change here. Chargers come out on top.
Player to watch: Julie Labarthe, Heritage Hall. Was a little too young for Peta Maree Lancaster of McGuinness last year in the final. But I would have loved to have seen a Labarthe-Ritchie singles championship this year.
Oh well. Labarthe has been as good as advertised and is routinely posting at least one 6-0 set in just about every match she’s had lately.
Should be a fun weekend. See ya on the courts.
The Connelly Family Tree…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
It’s finally state tournament weekend for tennis. Whoo hoo, didn’t think it would ever get here.
Bishop McGuinness moved up from Class 4A to 5A, but it doesn’t seem to have posed any problems for the Irish, who are gunning for their 11th team title in a row.
No family has played a bigger role in that than the Connelly group. Being in the Oklahoma City area, think tennis, think the Connelly family and the Villaflor family at Heritage Hall.
Dick Villaflor still has a couple years left with Carissa, but this weekend marks the final time for a Connelly as Katelyn looks to make it four team titles and three individual titles with mother Vicki coaching the squad.
Katelyn is the last of five, so for those that don’t remember, a little trip down memory lane with the family.
Sarah Jane Connelly, 26, won team titles in 1999, 2000 and 2001. Won No. 1 singles titles in 1998, 1999 and 2001. Graduated from University of Notre Dame.
Lauren Connelly, 25, won team titles in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002. Won No. 2 singles titles in 1999, 2000, 2001 and No. 1 singles title in 2002. Graduated from University of Notre Dame.
Andy Connelly, 23, won team titles in 2003 and 2004. Won No. 1 singles titles in 2003 and 2004. Graduated from Tulsa.
Morgan Connelly, 22, won team titles 2003 and 2004. Won No. 2 doubles title in 2004. A senior at Oklahoma.
Katelyn Connelly, 18, won team titles in 2006, 2007, 2008. Won No. 1 singles title in 2007 and No. 2 singles in 2008. Will attend OU.
Add it all up, and it’s a whopping 14 team titles and 12 individual titles. But technically, there is even more now.
Andy married former OCS great Brook Buck, who earned four individual titles herself. Brook also graduated from Notre Dame.
So with extended family, it’s 16 individual championships.
Had an opportunity to talk with Jim Connelly, the father of the kids, and he had some interesting little tidbits.
He talked about how Vicki used to drive the kids to school and then play in a tennis match at 8:30 a.m. She doesn’t do that anymore as he said she has found golf instead.
He’s still amazed at how the kids call their own lines. He was a pitcher and said if he was allowed to call his own strikes, yeah, you get the picture. The only pitcher to never throw a ball in his career.
I don’t think I’ve seen a tighter group than last year’s group of Peta Maree Lancaster, Katelyn, Mia Lancaster and Whitney Ritchie, Emily Conrad and Ashleigh Chiaf.
This group is close, though. Ritchie has been dominant at No. 1 singles, same can be said for Mia at No. 2 singles and the Katelyn/Conrad duo at No. 1 doubles.
An injury to Chiaf negated complete and utter domination of the field, but she’s ready to go this weekend.
Katelyn said it’s a sisterhood. They play together during the school year, play together after the school year, practice out at Oak Tree.
So I posed the obvious, don’t cha get sick of each other?
Katelyn said they haven’t reached that point yet. Bad news for the rest of the state.
Look for a Connelly Family story in Friday’s paper as it’s just one of the many storylines to watch for this weekend.
NOKC, EFC soccer join forces as new “OFC”
By Justin Harper
jharper@opubco.com
We heard today that two of the three primary soccer club programs in the metro area are merging. Check Tuesday’s sports section for more details on this surprising move. The following was announced today:
Two State Championship soccer clubs have formed an alliance, combining the talents of both clubs under the name Oklahoma Football Club (OFC). The alliance merges the competitive programs of the former rival clubs from the Edmond Soccer Club (ESC) and the North Oklahoma City Soccer Club (NOKC), creating a top class competitive soccer program to serve the Edmond and North Oklahoma City metro area.
“This summer will see both soccer clubs merge efforts to provide what we believe will be the best soccer opportunity in the state of Oklahoma”, said Russ Lissuzzo, OFC Board Member. “The merger of the soccer talent from both clubs provides the opportunity to better develop players at all levels.”
