SCF women repeat as state tennis champs

State College of Florida repeated as the State Tennis Champions also capturing their third consecutive team state championship.

The SCF women won their third consecutive state team tennis championship on Saturday, powered by freshman Maria Medina.

Medina handed Macarena Olivares, of ASA Miami, her first loss in two years of junior college competition to win the No. 1 singles title. Olivares is a three-time national champion and the current top-ranked player in the nation. Medina claimed the straight-sets victory, 7-5, 7-5.

Medina teamed with Iulia Sergheeva to win the the state title at No. 1 doubles after beating the reigning national champions from ASA, Olivares & Megane Bianco 6-4, 6-3.

Medina was named the player of the year for the FCSAA Conference.

Other state champions for SCF were Sergheeva at No. 2 and Amiena Houston at No. 4 singles. In doubles, Marsha Zubkova and Houston were champions at No. 3.

In other individual honors, Casey O'Toole was named the FCSAA academic player of the year and coach Clayton Taylor was named coach of the year for the second consecutive year.

JUCO Baseball

State College of Florida's 4, Florida SouthWestern 3 -- Hunter McGarry pitched 2 2/3 innings of one-hit ball to preserve the Manatees' victory.

McGarry struck out seven en route to the save, handing starter Scott Kelly the victory. At the plate, Garrett Hall went 2 for 4 and drove in two while Kevin Buckley contributed a hit and an RBI.

Softball

SCF 6-6, Santa Fe 5-7 -- Jessica Harney drove in four runs on two hits to lead State College of Florida to a 6-5 victory in the opener of a doubleheader split with Santa Fe, which won the nightcap 7-6. Brandi Bunker added two hits and two RBIs for SCF in the opener, in support of winning pitcher Kayla Maxwell (13-5).

In the second game, Erica Ward finished 3 for 3, but it wasn't enough for the Manatees (30-11).

Running

Corey Peyerk, of Sarasota, and Phoebe Oehmig, of Brunswick, Maine, won the men's and women's 5-kilometer races at the 3rd Annual Pinwheel 5K/10K race held at Nathan Benderson Park. Peyerk finished in a time of 18 minutes, 7 seconds. Oehmig, 19, finished in 20:24.

The senior 10K circuit was won by Richmond Stolzfus of Shipsewana, Ind., in a time of 34:45. The women's division was won by Kim Sheffield, of Sarasota, in 44:07.

The event drew approximately 350 runners, an increase of nearly 100. This was first year the event included a 10 kilometer race.

Other winners included:

5K men -- Masters: Arturo Guzman, Sarasota, 20:13; Grand Masters: Dennis Thompson, Venice, 22:27; Senior Grand Master: Graham Potter, Port Charlotte, 24:49; Veterans: Richard Quevillon, Sarasota, 28:18.

5K women -- Masters: Laura Graber, Sarasota, 23:04; Grand Masters: Mary Quinn, Bradenton, 23:43; Senior Grand Master: Dianna Campbell, Bradenton, 26:58; Veterans: Carol Westerman, Sarasota, 40:16.

10K men -- Masters: Michael Giampino, Venice, 40:16; Grand Masters: Paul Keating, Lakeland, 43:17; Senior Grand Master: Larry Jamieson, Sarasota, 47:49; Veterans: Bob Owens, Duluth. Minn., 59:19.

10K women -- Masters: Sally Libonati, Rotonda West, 46:45; Grand Masters: Jennifer Glassburn, Duette, 53:14; Senior Grand Master: Rosalie Marino-Soehner, 1:07:25; Veterans: Ann Palaitis, 1:18:20.

This story was originally published April 9, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "SCF women repeat as state tennis champs ."