Event of the Week: Forecast calls for alternative plans for locations
Today’s forecast prompted an early start for one 4A girls tennis regional tournament while three other meets in the area hope to squeeze in matches indoors or during breaks in the expected poor weather today through Saturday.The finals for the 4A Region 1 meet at Cheyenne Mountain are this morning while the other regionals begin today. Tournament directors spent much of Wednesday lining up indoor court facilities.But once the first serve goes up today, area players in the other regionals can focus on being one of the top two in each division to advance to next week’s state tournaments in Denver (5A) and Pueblo (4A).Palmer and host Lewis-Palmer are the favorites at the 5A Region 8 meet today at Air Force.The Terrors’ No. 1 and No. 2 singles players, senior Veronika Wojakowska and freshman Adriana Wojakowska, are both undefeated in dual meets.For Veronika, this is familiar territory. She made it to the state semifinals last year and won state two years ago as a sophomore. Palmer No. 3 singles player Kelly Anderson is 8-1.”All of the singles have a very good chance of getting to state and having a doubles team make it would be the icing on the cake,” Terrors coach Holly Strack said.Lewis-Palmer senior Deanna Thirkell should challenge Wojakowska for the No. 1 singles title.In the 5A Region 2 meet starting today at Memorial Park, host Pine Creek returns a lot of experience in No. 1 singles player Ryann Warner and No. 2 Erica Madden. Both won regionals last year at No. 2 and No. 3 singles. Warner’s only dual-meet loss this spring is to Veronika Wojakowska.The Eagles will face tough teams from Arapahoe, Bear Creek, Boulder and ThunderRidge.”Looking at the region we are in, it is probably one of the toughest because of the schools and individual players,” Eagles coach Dave Lehan said.CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0250 or sports@gazettedev.gazette.com
Avalanche goalie Peter Budaj, left, looked at the ice after giving up a goal to Detroit’s Johan Fransen, right. Franzen had two hat tricks in the past three games. Photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS