AMERICAN HERITAGE GIRLS CLAIM NINTH FLORIDA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

 

The girls of American Heritage tennis team always their eyes set on bringing glory to their school. In fact, they have consistently shown that they are on top of their game, and they proved it once again after bagging their ninth state team title capturing a state record 21 points. The Stallions State Championship run followed a third place finish in the 2015 DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships just three weeks earlier.

The Stallions aced all singles matches and six doubles matches during the two-day Florida Class 1A State Tournament. Lagging behind them was Miami-Ransom Everglades.

The American Heritage girls’ tennis team initially had a perfect 10-0 record it singles matches on the opening day of tournament play. A pair of doubles wins to round out the day gave them the maximum of 12 points, a two-point edge over runner up and 2014 DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships champion Ransom Everglades.

Leading the team to the title was DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships All-Tournament Team selection Angelica Blake, who during a key number one singles match, beat Carrollwood’s top seed Jacquelyn Fitz-Randolph 6-0, 6-1. Fellow All-Tournament Team selection Melissa Sakar defeated Ransom Everglades’ number two seed Heather Boehm for the number two singles title with a score of 6-1, 4-6, 6-1.

Also bagging singles titles for the Stallions were sophomore Kacey Moore, who in a 6-1, 6-2 game beat Ransom’s Vivien Fernandez. Freshman Taylor Kogan and 7th grader Nina Slager also won the number four singles titles and number five title, respectively, for the Stallions during the tournament.

Single were not the only place where the American Heritage girls’ tennis team excelled. With superb net play and service games, the partnerships of Blake and Sakar and Kogan and Moore took home doubles titles.

"It feels great," said Brian Schleifer, American Heritage’s tennis coach. “It feels great,” longtime Stallions coach Brian Schleifer said. “The girls came out and played so well today. There was so much heart and intensity, and I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

"Blake was the one who set the tone for the entire team." Schleifer mentioned. He believes that the youthful player has greatly improved since she first played for the Stallions two-years ago in the state tournament. The coach also noted "Angelica will likely remain as the number one seed for a long time."

Under Schleifer’s tutelage, the Stallions have won nine state title since he established the program in 1997.