Carson Country's top tennis players advance to championships

As expected most of Carson Country's top players advanced through Thursday's first round of the Northern Nevada Zone Championships in Reno.

In girls singles, Carson's Polly Johnson, the Sierra League's No. 4 seed and Samantha Barnes (Sierra No. 8), Kristin Garzapena (No. 6) and Amber Oglesby (Sierra No. 2) of Douglas all won. Joining them in the round of 16 are Rachael Forbes, the High Desert League's No. 2 seed, and Laura Deitch (High Desert No. 5) of Galena.

Johnson beat Reed's Andrea Baichtal 6-1, 6-1 Garzapena defeated Reed's Heather Imand 6-0, 6-1, Oglesby beat Truckee's Shelly Ratto 6-1, 6-2, Barnes won 6-0, 6-0, Forbes beat Reno's Michelle Sanders 6-2, 6-3 and Deitch defeated Hug's Matalis Marinas 6-2, 6-4.

"She looked great," said Douglas Coach Dee Gosselin about Oglesby. "She hit strong. She's serving very well. He backhand was outstanding."

The top four players in the North. will advance to state and Gosselin said she believes Oglesby is the second best player in the North.

Unfortunately for Douglas, if Garzapena and Oglesby advance past the round of 16, they would meet in the quarterfinals. Gosselin said Barnes could make a run at state as well. "Sam is really hitting the ball well," Gosselin said.

In other action, Carson's Julianna Kournokova lost to McQueen's Heather Gorda (High Desert No. 6) 3-6, 6-3, 1-6.

On the boys side, Carson's Martin Ellis (Sierra No. 3) and Josh Brekken (Sierra No. 6) and Anthony Guidabaldi (Sierra No. 2) and Tim Johnston (Sierra No. 4) of Douglas all won. Brekken won 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, Ellison won 6-0, 6-0, Johnston won 7-6, 6-0 and Guidabaldi won 6-3, 6-1.

Galena's Andrew Eklov, the High Desert League's No. 1 seed, won 6-0, 6-1.