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WILKES-BARRE — Four trips to the District 2 Class 2A girls tennis singles final once seemed practically automatic for Wyoming Area’s Brianna Pizzano.

There was a time right before the start of her senior season, however, when Pizzano feared the last trip would never happen.

Playing her way through a torn ligament in her right wrist that will require surgery next month, Pizzano preserved a perfect record all the way until the district final where she was beaten for the second straight year by Riverside sophomore Karissa Ghigiarelli.

Repeating a feat Pizzano accomplished – winning titles as both a freshman and sophomore – Ghigiarelli took the final, 6-1, 6-1, Friday afternoon at Kirby Park.

Pizzano said she knew the final would be tough, but she enjoyed the trip there.

“Just to be in districts and getting through the whole season was amazing,” said Pizzano, who suffered the injury two months ago. “I didn’t think I would be playing even in the regular season.”

Following up three straight 6-0, 6-0 victories Thursday, Pizzano opened Friday’s action with a 6-0, 6-1 triumph over Holy Redeemer’s Tia Amarise.

“I thought that match would be much harder,” Pizzano said. “My serve was perfect.”

The win improved Pizzano to 20-0 on the season, winning 240 of 254 games, including 136 of the last 140 to that point.

Ghigiarelli reached the final by defeating Wyoming Seminary’s Ella Krypel, 6-0, 6-0, in Friday’s other semifinal.

The Wyoming Valley Conference’s last two players in the District 2-4 Class 3A Subregional both lost in the semifinals.

Alyssa Mazurek from Hazleton Area created a scare for top seed Bella Peters from Abington Heights on the way to Peters’ repeat championship.

Mazurek jumped to a 5-1 lead before Peters came back for a 7-5, 6-2 victory.

“She played an awesome match,” Peters said.

Peters went on to defeat Williamsport’s Mia Shuler, 6-1, 6-0, in the final.

Shuler made the final by topping Wyoming Valley West’s Anabel Gifoli, 6-3, 6-2.

Gifoli made the semifinals as a sixth seed, the lowest seed to advance that far in either tournament.

District 2 will conduct its doubles tournament Tuesday and Wednesday at Kirby Park.

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By Tom Robinson

For Times Leader