Tigers reach sectional round

Central defeated Cor Jesu 5-2 to advance.

Central's first experience with the new team district format worked out well for the girls tennis team, as the Tigers defeated Cor Jesu 5-2 on Tuesday to earn a spot in the Class 2 sectional round.

The Tigers will host Parkway South at 10 a.m. on Saturday in the first round of the four-team sectional.

Sarah Ford, Monica Toole, Lindsey Pingel and Kristen Ford won singles matches Tuesday, and the doubles team of Dani Gross-Toole clinched the dual win.

"We didn't really know much about their team. They are brand new," Central coach Annette Slattery said of Cor Jesu. "I really only knew about their No. 1 singles player."

Cor Jesu's No. 1 singles player, Katie Wanner, defeated Gross in singles play. Anna Schuler defeated Paige Foley at No. 5 singles for the other Cor Jesu singles point.

Slattery said she was pleased with her team's performance.

"I don't think they looked past this team," she said.

This was the first year for team district, which pits the top four teams from each district in one round of seeded bracket play for the district's two sectional berths. Central won its second straight district title on Thursday to earn the right to host Tuesday's dual against Cor Jesu.

Rockwood Summit, the district runner-up, defeated Eureka in the other team district dual from District 1.

As the champion of the odd-numbered district in an odd-numbered year, Central earned the right to host Saturday's sectional as well.

At the same time the Tigers play Parkway South (a 5-4 winner against Lafayette) on Saturday morning, Class 2 state champion St. Joseph's Academy will face Summit at the Southeast Missouri State tennis courts.

The final match is set for 1 p.m. at Central.

The Tigers bowed out in one match last year and would have a tough task to get through St. Joseph's for a state berth.

"Last year, we faced Lafayette and lost 4-5, and that was like a four-hour match and a lot of matches went three sets," Slattery said. "I would love to play St. Joseph's, but we have to take it one match at a time."

CENTRAL 5, COR JESU 2

Singles -- 1. Katie Wanner (CJ) def. Dani Gross 6-4, 6-2; 2. Sarah Ford (C) def. Sarah Schaefer 6-2, 6-1; 3. Monica Toole (C) def. Ellen Drazen 6-1, 6-0; 4. Lindsey Pingel (C) def. Allison Croghan 6-0, 6-0; 5. Anna Schuler (CJ) def. Paige Foley 6-0, 6-2; 6. Kristen Ford (C) def. Alli Lesko 6-1, 6-2

Doubles -- 2. Gross-Toole (C) def. Drazen-Croghan 6-2, 6-1