Saturday, March 18, 2006-Final Day
The temperature may have plummeted today, but it was worth the chill to see all the incredible matches at the Mobile Tennis Center on the final day of the USTA National Spring Championships.

It's not often I get to see a fun match filled with the kind of sportsmanship I usually dream about. Today was the day. Long time friends and Tennessee natives Davey Sandgren and Houston Barrick (pictured left to right) played that match. It may have been the final of a major national tournament, but they both had a good time out there while displaying some incredible tennis.

The first set was clearly Davey's as he took the early lead for a 6-2 win. Though the second was as lopsided as 4-2 to Houston, it went all the way to a tiebreaker before he actually won it. During the third the players were still joking, smiling and hitting incredible serves and volleys. It was Houston's gold ball and after the presentation photos the two friends made plans to play golf next week.

The girls final wasn't quite so joyous, but there was no animosity. It's true that Reka Zsilinszka lost more games than she had in the rest of the tournament matches and probably broke more of a sweat (despite the frigid temperature). There was still no doubt that it was her match and her tournament. Lauren Lui gave it a good showing to the 6-4,6-4, but was unable to take it further.

In the girls third place playoff Melissa Saiontz commanded an early lead and quickly took the first set. Claire Rietsch came back a lot stronger in the second to put up a fight before succumbing, 6-1,6-4. The girls consolation final looked like it would be an all day affair when the players were still at 3-2 while the rest of the matches were in the second set. Fourteen year old Julia Boserup did speed things up in her favor after that point, taking the first 6-3 and the second 6-4.

The boys third place playoff was quite a long, back and fourth match. Though the first set was leaning toward a win for George Navas, Rook Schellenberg never looked ready to give up. Even when he was down 5-2 in the second, he had enough fight to bring it back and take it 7-5. The third nearly went the distance with George squeaking by 7-5. Despite a few too many errors, the boys consolation match was still a great display of power by Roy Kalmanovich. Top-seeded Reid Carleton had worked hard after losing in the first round, but today he didn't have enough to get past Roy, going down 6-3,6-2.

Once again Tournament Directors Lorraine & Scott Novak didn't an incredible job organizing this event. It's one I -- and all of the eligible players -- look forward to coming back to next year.

Girls Finalist Lauren Lui	Boys 3rd Place Singles Winner George Navas
Girls 3rd Place Singles Winner Melissa Saiontz	4th Place Singles Winner Rook Schellenberg with his coach Joey Blake -- a former junior tennis star himself.
Kristy Frilling receives the USTA Sportsmanship Award from Tournament Director Lorraine Novak.	Carolyn McVeigh won 3rd Place Doubles with Kristy Frilling.
Boys Consolation Finalists Reid Carleton & Winner Roy Kalmanovich	Consolation Finalist Magdalena Bresson & Winner Julia Boserup
4th Place Doubles Winners Holly Johnson & Caitlin Whoriskey
They may not have went home with any awards, but I couldn't resist taking a picture of three fellow Easterners who are among the most talented in junior tennis -- Shinann Featherston, Noelle Hickey & Lindsay Clark

Boys' 18
SINGLES
Finals
Houston Barrick (5) defeated Davey Sandgren (2), 2-6,7-6(3),6-3
Third Place Playoff
George Navas (9) defeated Rook Schellenberg (5), 6-3,5-7,7-5
Semifinals
Houston Barrick (5) defeated George Navas (9), 6-2,6-4
Davey Sandgen (2) defeated Rook Schellenberg (5), 6-3,2-6,6-0
Quarterfinals
George Navas/Belleair, FL (9) defeated Xavier Smith/Tulare, CA (5), 6-2,2-0 retired/ill
Houston Barrick/Brentwood, TN (5) defeated Viju George/Boca Raton, FL, 6-4,6-0
Rook Schellenberg/Dallas, TX (5) defeated William Guzick/Greer, SC (9), 6-2,6-4
Davey Sandgren/Gallatin, TN (2) defeated Adam Schwartz/Roslyn Heights, NY (9), 7-6(6),6-4
Consolation Finals
Roy Kalmanovich defeated Reid Carleton, 6-3,6-2
DOUBLES
Finals
Matthew Allare/Calvin Bennett defeated Houston Barrick/Eric Quigley, 7-5,6-4
Third Place Playoff
Davey Sandgren/Tyler Davis (9) defeated Geoffrey Embry/Will Guzick, 7-6(7),1-6,6-4
Semifinals
Matthew Allare/Calvin Bennett defeated Geoffrey Embry/William Guzick, 6-2,4-6,6-1
Houston Barrick/Eric Quigley defeated Davey Sandgren/Tyler Davis (9), 7-6(1),6-3
Quarterfinals
Matthew Allare/Calvin Bennett defeated George Navas/Michael O'Shea, 6-2,6-2
Geoffrey Embry/William Guzick defeated Christopher Price/Peter Rispoli, 6-2,6-2
Houston Barrick/Eric Quigley defeated Alexei Chijoff-Evans/Joshua Zavala, 4-6,6-3,6-1
Davey Sandgren/Tyler Davis (9) defeated Scott Lieberman/Dennis Nevolo, 6-1,6-3

Girls' 18
SINGLES
Finals
Reka Zsilinszka (2) defeated Lauren Lui (4), 6-4,6-4
Third Place Playoff
Melissa Saiontz (3) defeated Claire Rietsch, 6-1,6-4
Semifinals
Lauren Lui (4) defeated Claire Rietsch, 7-5,6-4
Reka Zsilinszka (2) defeated Melissa Saiontz (3), 6-2,6-1
Quarterfinals
Claire Rietsch/Laguna Beach, CA defeated Julia Boserup/Los Angeles, CA, 7-5,6-2
Lauren Lui/Houston, TX (4) defeated Mallory Cecil/Inman, SC, 3-6,6-4,6-4
Melissa Saiontz/Miami, FL (3) defeated Magdalena Bresson/Delray Beach, FL (3), 6-4,7-6(4)
Reka Zsilinszka/Fayetteville, NC defeated Kristen Rafael/Grand Prairie, TX, 6-0,6-1
Consolation Finals
Julia Boserup defeated Magdelana Bresson, 6-3,6-4
DOUBLES
Finals
Sanaz Marand/Ashley Weinhold (2) defeated Jennifer Meredith/Connor Vogel,6-1,6-1
Third Place Playoff
Kristy Frilling/Carolyn McVeigh defeated Holly Johnson/Caitlin Whorisky, 5-7,6-3,7-5
Semifinals
Jennifer Meredith/Connor Vogel defeated Kristy Frilling/Carolyn McVeigh, 6-3,4-6,6-4
Sanaz Marand/Ashley Weinhold (2) defeated Holly Johnson/Caitlin Whorisky, 6-2,3-6,6-2
Quarterfinals
Jennifer Meredith/Connor Vogel defeated Megan Broderick/Katja Decker-Sadowski (9), 6-4,4-6,7-6
Kristy Frilling/Carolyn McVeigh defeated Anamika Bhargava/Lauren Lui (5), 6-1,6-4
Holly Johnson/Caitlin Whorisky defeated Cameron Hubbs/Kristen Rafael (9), 3-6,7-5,6-1
Sanaz Marand/Ashley Weinhold (2) defeated Marisa Lambropoulos/Whitney Wilson, 6-0,6-1

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