Commonwealth League Holds State Finals at 
Charlottesville's Boars Head Inn
 1/7/08



The Commonwealth Fall Outdoor Mixed League has found a warn welcome from players in Richmond.  The league was started in 2004 with 46 facilities fielding teams.  This year, the league boasted over 80 teams at levels 6.0, 7.0, and 8.0.

Regular season play began in September and ran through early November.  Playoff matches determined qualifiers for the State (Virginia District) tournament held January 4-6, 2008 at the Boars Head Inn in Charlottesville.

 

Matches ran pretty nearly on schedule with six to nine courts available at various times  throughout the weekend. 

Players enjoyed the fast-playing indoor courts, and fans appreciated the open area stadium type seating overlook.  Five officials were on hand to supervise play (and were diligently calling foot faults!).

Congratulations to the following Richmond area teams for outstanding performance at Districts:

6.0 Division

Ridgetop [Allin], (10-0 in regular season play), defeated Robious Juggernaut 2-1 in the Finals.   Robious won the #1 match 6-2, 6-1; the other matches were determined by third set tiebreakers with Ridgetop winning both.   

Congratulations to Ridgetop members:  Louis Allin, Tom Barila, Lee Weidhaas, Shannon Best, Susan Custer, Craig Custer, Todd Kuh, Robert Riggs, Cristin Bernhardt and Susan Dalton.  


Robious members: Michaele Bergan, Eric Hewitt, Jay Pettit, Alicia Barnett, Dean Barnett, Steven Wolf,  Ginny Diersen, Shaun Burroughs, Wilton Johns, Gail Gold, Sandra Mason, Betty Thompson and Christina Reiman.

Belmont [Styer] and Robious [Talamo] earned spots at Districts but did not make it out of qualifying rounds.

7.0 Division

The top Northern Virginia  team sailed through District play with 3-0 wins over both of the Richmond teams that had qualified for Sunday playoffs after winning their flights.  With NOVA Mojo Keepers claiming the title, the two Richmond teams played for 2nd place.  Bon Air [Hutton] (9-0 in regular season play) defeated Southampton [Brown] 2-1 in the Finals.  The match was determined by a thrilling third set tiebreak at #1 doubles after  #3 and #2 doubles were split.  Bon Air won the tiebreak 12-10.

Bon Air members:  Susan Hutton, Jane Lowry, Douglas James, Sara James, Shaun Burroughs, John Cima, William Wojcik, Karl Grotos, Sue Ann McNeer, Patty Denman, Patty Smith, Tim Wade, Nancy Metz, Will Sullivan and Ron Burroughs.

Southampton members:  Sara Brown, Nick Cohen, Helen Landry, Kristin Spencer, Esther Fratkin, Mary Beth Lowden, Paul Dillard, David Fratkin, David Armentrout, Todd Kuhn, Cristin Bernhardt, Phillip Bruner.

Southampton team members from left: Paul Dillard, Mary Beth Lowden, Nick Cohen, Kristy Spencer, David Armentrout and Cristin Bernhardt.

Cristin was also a member of the Ridgeop Allin team that won the 6.0 Division title.  She played four matches on Friday, two on Saturday and in two finals on Sunday.


CCV [Maraghy] and Raintree Express Lane did not make it out of qualifying rounds.  Raintree had accepted a wild card berth after ACAC [Murray] was not able to field a team at Districts.

 

 

Bon Air earned 2nd place with a close win over Southampton.  Team members who played in the weekend matches from left to right:  Sue Ann McNeer, Bill Wojcik, Nancy Metz, Karl Grotos, Patty Denman, Shaun Burroughs, Tim Wade and Doug James; (front row, seated from left) Sara James, Ron Burroughs, Susan Hutton - captain, and Patty Smith.  Smith's husband, Stone, is the Commonwealth League Coordinator.

 

 

 

Cherie Lane (top right) captained both Raintree teams participating in the State finals. 

 

8.0 Division

Richmond teams did not make it out of their qualifying flights in the upper division.  Ridgetop [Rhodes] won one match and Raintree [Select] earned 2 wins out of 3 matches in qualifying rounds.  NOVA Double Whammies claimed the District title.

 

 

David Armentrout, Paul Dillard and Cristin Bernhardt of Southampton

The Southampton team was comprised "mostly of players who take lessons from Pat Anderson," said Captain Sara Brown.  "Pat tries to put together competitive teams.....We had a great time, although we could have given Northern VA a better run for the money!"

Dean and Alicia Barnett of 2nd place Robious Juggernaut in the 6.0 Division

Karl Grotos, Susan Hutton, Tom Hutton and Bill Wojcik of Bon Air.  (Tom Hutton was the team's party supplier).

"It's been a long road and journey," said Karl.  "Looking back to August tryouts where only the finest men and women were selected to represent our esteemed facility."

"An amazing, very unexpected season - every match was just icing on the cake," said Susan.  "We didn't set out to be here in the end, it just happened and that's the best way!"

 

by Sara James
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