Friday, May 19, 2000
Latin's Rahali repeats regional tennis title
By Ray Schaefer
Enquirer contributor
CRESTVIEW HILLS — The notes Miriam Rahali's father wrote her worked in Thursday's finals of the Region 12 girls tennis tournament.
The Covington Latin junior and top seed won her second straight singles title at Four Seasons Country Club, knocking off second-seeded freshman Jackie Vilines of Notre Dame 6-4, 6-0.
Thursday's win should give Rahali a top-four seed in the state tournament in two weeks in Lexington, if not the No.2 ranking behind two-time defending champion Ashley Robards of Henderson County. Rahali lost 6-0, 6-0 to Robards in last year's finals.
Rahali became the first repeat regional winner since Notre Dame's Kara Molony did it from 1994-96.
“I need to be more focused on tennis,” said Rahali, who has participated in Latin's school play and went on a class trip to Washington, D.C.
The lack of serves, volleys and groundstrokes showed a little Thursday, as Vilines tied her at 4-4 in the first set.
Then Rahali went to her dad, Mohammed's, instructions: bend the knees more for low balls; make sure the right arm is across the body when following through on a serve.
The result — Rahali won the last eight games of the match.
“I knew I needed to keep the ball deep,” Rahali said. “I was giving her too many short balls. When I kept it deep, she hit it shorter, and I could place it at a greater angle.”
Vilines said she doesn't think the loss will knock her out of the top four at state.
“Miriam was already above me,” she said.
Rahali's victory tempered an otherwise happy week for Notre Dame. The Pandas clinched the team title and sisters Lyndsey and Molly Molony beat teammates Lauren Simendinger and Rebecca Weis 6-0, 6-0 for the doubles crown.
Lyndsey won the state doubles title with Kara in 1997. Now, she said, the stakes are higher.
“I feel more pressure this time, because I'm the older sister,” Lyndsey said. “I want to do as well with (Molly). It's going to be tougher.”
The boys singles and doubles finals take place at 3:45p.m. today at Four Seasons. Dixie Heights junior Justin Yeager defends his singles title against Beechwood junior Billy Hopkins, and Highlands' Jason Roedig and Kyle Hardin meet Aaron Rassell and Mark Jasper of Beechwood in doubles.
Beechwood and Highlands are tied at the top of the team standings with 15 points. Today, there are three scenarios:
Highlands wins the title if Roedig and Hardin, who are step-brothers, knock off Rassell and Jasper and Yeager beats Hopkins. Beechwood wins if Rassell and Jasper win, which makes the Yeager-Hopkins match moot.
If Hopkins and Roedig/Hardin win, there is a 16-16 tie and the two teams meet at noon Saturday at Notre Dame. If that match ends up a 2-2 tie, the winner is determined by percentage of games won.
Thursday's results
Girls
Final team scores: 1. Notre Dame 19; 2. Beechwood 12; 3. Conner 8; 4. (tie) Covington Latin, Dixie Heights, Boone County, St. Henry and Highlands 6; 8. (tie) Simon Kenton and Holy Cross; 11. (tie) Ryle and Scott 4; 13. (tie) Holmes and Villa Madonna 3; 15. Lloyd and Carroll County 2.
Singles finals
Miriam Rahali (No. 1 seed), Covington Latin, def. Jackie Vilines (2), Notre Dame, 6-4, 6-0.
Doubles finals
Lyndsey Molony/Molly Molony (1), Notre Dame, def. Lauren Simendinger/Rebecca Weis (2), Notre Dame, 6-0, 6-0.
Boys
Team scores: 1. (tie) Highlands and Beechwood 15; 3. Covington Catholic 13; 4. Dixie Heights 11; 5. (tie) Gallatin County and Boone County 6.
Singles
Semifinals
Billy Hopkins (4), Beechwood, def. Ben Dunham-Freer (1), Highlands, 6-1, 7-5.
Justin Yeager (3), Dixie Heights, def. Ashley Busald (2), Beechwood, 6-1, 6-2.
Finals
Hopkins vs. Yeager, 3:45 p.m. today at Four Seasons Country Club, Crestview Hills
Doubles
Semifinals
Jason Roedig/Kyle Hardin, Highlands (6), def Matt McElheney/Ryan Brehm (1), Conner, 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 6-4
Aaron Rassell/Mark Jasper (7), Beechwood def. Adam Calderon/Mike Kidwell (5), Covington Catholic, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Finals
Roedig/Hardin, vs. Rassell/Jasper, approximately 5 p.m. today at Four Seasons
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