Western boys win Region II crown

By The Daily Progress Staff

Published: May 24, 2008

Western Albemarle’s core of seniors got them to the Region II final, but the Warriors’ underclassmen put them over the top.

Sophomore Joey Manilla led a group of three underclassmen who won their singles matches as defending Group AA champion Western defeated visiting Briar Woods 5-2 on Saturday.

Manilla won a hard-fought, three-set match against the Falcons’ Stephen Law at No. 1 singles, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4. Sophomore Alex Preve and junior Nico de la Pointe also won their single matches, along with senior Brennan Dougherty.

Preve and freshman Teddy Nelson defeated David Baroody and Brett Stockman 6-2, 6-1 in the lone completed doubles match. Patrick Melbourne and Patrick Ciullo won in singles play for Briar Woods.

Western (20-0) returns to the Group AA tournament to defend its title June 7-8 at Virginia Tech.

Girls tennis: Handley 5, Western Albemarle 2

Defending state champion Handley ended a tremendous season for the Warriors’ girls tennis team on Saturday with a 5-2 victory.

Western’s Shannon Bayliss and Lauren Hagspiel won their respective singles matches and forced the undefeated Judges to clinch the title in doubles, which the tennis powerhouse hasn’t had to participate in for several years.

Coach Betsy Nugent knew her team had a steep hill to climb, as Handley has been a force for years in Region II.

“I told them before the match, there’s no better dog than an underdog,” she said. “We’ve had a great season, and the girls played the best I’ve seen them play this year. Handley has a great program and we pushed them hard today.”

The team finishes its season with a record of 17-3. Bayliss will compete in the regional singles tournament on Tuesday and join Maddie Wilson in doubles play.

Bayliss and Maurie Carr, now a member of Princeton’s JV team, won the state doubles title in 2006.

Nugent hopes that the tandem can make a return trip to close out Bayliss’ outstanding Western career.

“It would be great to see Shannon win states to close out her senior year,” Nugent said.