Central retains district title

Last year, Central freshmen Sarah Ford and Lindsey Pingel joined junior Monica Toole for the trip to Springfield, Mo., to watch the Tigers doubles team of Brett Ford and Dani Gross compete at the state tennis tournament.

This year, Sarah Ford, Pingel and Toole will return as participants along with Gross.

Central claimed both doubles state berths Thursday and won the team championship in the Class 2 District 1 tournament at Central.

The sophomore duo of Sarah Ford and Pingel defeated the all-senior team of Gross and Toole 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 in the championship match.

"I'm excited I'm going to state," Toole said. "I knew what it would be like since I watched it last year. All of us knew what we were playing for."

Both Central teams cruised through the semifinal round. Gross and Toole, the top seed, defeated No. 4 seed Ashton Miller and Sarah Barks of Farmington 6-0, 6-1. In the other semifinal, No. 3 seed Ford and Pingel defeated No. 2 seed Melissa Cullmann and Michelle Ruf of Lindbergh 6-2, 6-3.

This was the first doubles district action for Ford and Pingel after playing singles last year. They showed no signs of nervousness in clinching their state berth.

"I can honestly say I was not surprised how well they handled it," Central coach Annette Slattery said of her sophomores. "I've seen them handle it throughout the season and at the Great 8 tournament. They came [to state] as observers last year and told me they'd be there next year.

"They're a pretty confident team. A lot of times when I talk to them at the fence they say, 'Don't worry coach, we've got it.'"

By qualifying both teams to the doubles finals, Central wrapped up its second straight district title.

"That was our dream and our goal," Slattery said.

Central finished with 24 1/2 points, followed by Rockwood Summit with 23. Summit had both of its singles players in the final.

While there was little to play for besides bragging rights, the all-Central doubles final proved to be a competitive match. Three straight service breaks opened the match. Ford and Pingel took momentum by tying the first set at 4-4 in a game that went to four deuces.

"We play against each other every day," Gross said. "There are some days they win and some days we'll take it. We're so evenly matched, we knew it would be like that."

Gross and Toole won five straight games in the second set to close out the set and even the match.

In the third set, Ford and Pingel broke a 1-1 tie by winning five straight games to take the match.

"I couldn't have asked for a better finals match," Slattery said. "All year long, they've pushed each other to get better. That was the first time I can remember not being stressed out watching my team play."

Pingel said she was just happy both teams could qualify for state.

"We're really excited because we get to go with them," she said.

Under the new state format, Central will host Cor Jesu at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday for a berth in the sectional round. Cor Jesu finished tied for fourth with Farmington, but held the tiebreaker. Summit, which finished second, will host third-place Eureka.

In the singles bracket No. 2 seed Lauren Needham of Summit defeated teammate and top seed Sara Helbig 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 for the district title.