Palo Verde rallies to keep girls’ title

Nick Christensen

Thursday, Oct. 14, 2004 | 9:11 a.m.

With the boys already done, the pressure was on the Palo Verde girls' tennis team to complete the Sunset Region sweep Wednesday at Durango High School.

The boys had already beaten Bonanza 25-20 to advance to the state tournament, next week in Reno. But down 12-3 and with singles ace Katie Briganza struggling, Panthers coach Zach Brandt was concerned.

"We were getting our butts kicked after the first round," he said. "We went out and dominated. They did what they said they were going to do."

Palo Verde's girls, led by German foreign exchange student Nina Winkler, rallied to earn the Sunset Region title for the second consecutive year.

Brandt credited Winkler for his team's turnaround.

"She beat their best player, and made them feel a little bad," he said. "Even then, my doubles team had to go out and sweep two rounds. Gorman played their hearts out. They're a real tough team."

Brandt said that it was Palo Verde's boys' singles players who led the Panthers to their win against Bonanza.

On the east side, the Basic boys claimed the Sunrise Region title with a 35-10 win against Coronado at Del Sol.

"Our kids stepped up today," Wolves coach Mike Kazek said. "I consider it the top two teams that I thought were pretty evenly matched, and we ended up coming out on top."

Cameron Roberson, Brandon Kenyan, and Arnie Kulkman went 3-0 in singles for Basic.

Later at Del Sol, Coronado's girls defeated Green Valley 32-13 to win the Sunrise Region girls' title. It was the Cougars' 38th consecutive team win, and their third win against Green Valley this year.

"When you play a team three times, you get nervous on the third one," Coronado coach Bob Clements said. "This is kind of like a dream to get this far. The kids are great to coach, and I'm in an area where they come ready to play. I can't take the credit."

Coronado's Dominique Aubry and Brittany Hanna both went 2-0 in singles to lead the defending state champion Cougars to next week's state tournament at the Reno Tennis Center.