TimesLeader.com

October 18

Prep wins tennis title

By Tom Robinson
Scranton Edition sports correspondent

WILKES-BARRE – Emily Messett waited a long time for another chance.

With the season again on the line and Messett again on the court in a deciding doubles match, the Scranton Prep senior made sure of a different result.

Messett’s strong play, particularly at the net, helped her join sophomore teammate Mara Silvon in rallying to produce the decisive point that gave Scranton Prep the District 2 Class AA team tennis championship with a 3-2 victory over Wyoming Seminary.

While all of their teammates watched and encouraged, Messett-Silvon defeated Wyoming Seminary’s Sheena Syal-Emma Spajh, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, at number-one doubles to decide the meeting of unbeatens after more than two hours.

Messett was one of the doubles players in the last match decided last year when Valley View upset Scranton Prep, 3-2, in the semifinals on the way to the district title.

"It came down to us and we didn’t pull through,” Messett said.

When Wyoming Seminary took the first set in three of five matches, it was clear Scranton Prep had to change something to avoid its first loss.

“We realized we had to come back,” Silvon said. “As soon as we started winning some games, we knew we just had to keep it going.”

First singles player Anne Cognetti and second doubles team Anna Walsh-Caroline Comerford locked up the first two points in the match with straight set wins for Scranton Prep.

Wyoming Seminary, however, won the next two matches that were decided, leaving the first doubles teams alone on the courts at the end of a cool and windy day.

“After that first set, I knew it was probably going to come down to us or one of the two singles matches next to us,” Messett said.

The senior had spent less than half the season in the lineup as the result of being the eighth-ranked player on the team in a sport that uses seven per match. Given a chance, in the postseason, she combined with Silvon and they kept winning after going 4-0 together in the regular season.

Messett repeatedly made the strong plays at the net to win points. “I like playing at the net,” she said. “It’s the best part of my game. I try to be real aggressive.

“Sheena is a real hard hitter, but I think I play better at the net when someone is hitting it hard.”

TEAM ROUNDUP

Three Lackawanna County teams and a fourth from the league qualified for district team tennis play.

Scranton Prep won the Class AA tournament with the help of a semifinal win over Valley View, 3-0.

Abington Heights reached the District 2-4 Class AAA tournament but also lost in the semifinals, 3-0, to Wallenpaupack.

Wallenpaupack was named District 2 champion after losing to Williamsport, a District 4 member, 3-0 in the championship match.

Prior to the Scranton Prep-Wyoming Seminary match, which was delayed for a half hour shortly after the start when a light mist left wet leaves on the courts, each match had been stopped when it reached 3-0. In each case, the team that lost was ahead in at least one of the singles or doubles matches that were halted.

Cognetti, Wyoming Seminary’s Caroline Meuser, Williamsport’s Caitlin Clemons and the Williamsport doubles team of Fatema Essa-Meredith Manchester were the only ones to go 2-0 on the day.

Courtney Ostrowski had the lead for Abington Heights at first singles and Liz Aniska-Elena Stambone were ahead for Valley View at second doubles when their teams were eliminated.

DOUBLES

Valley View and Scranton Prep each had a doubles team reach the semifinals before being eliminated October 9 at Birchwood Racquet Club.

Emily Walsh-Kendra Croker of Scranton Prep won the first set before falling to Alyssa Joanlanne-Meuser of Wyoming Seminary, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.

Valley View’s Sarah Calabro-Kayla Price lost to top-seed and eventual champion Sara Lynn-Megan Nastelli of Berwick, 6-3, 6-0.

Wallenpaupack’s Alyssia Deutsch-Annette Deutsch lost in the District 2-4 semifinals and were named District 2 champs.

Taquoia Lee-Clemons won the tournament for Williamsport.

UP NEXT

Scranton Prep will play the District 4 runner-up at a site in District 2 on Oct. 27.

The winner of that match advances to the state quarterfinals Oct. 30 in Hershey.

The semifinals and finals are Oct. 31 in Hershey.

Cognetti will represent Scranton Prep in the state singles tournament Nov. 6-7 in Hershey.