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[Sonny Dearth]

Bay Rivers teams roll into regional semis

The Region I team tennis tournament officially began Thursday. Most of the true competition in it begins Friday.
All of the Bay Rivers District teams entered — three in the boys draw and three in the girls bracket — advanced to the semifinals in routine fashion on four groups of courts around Williamsburg. Friday’s semis don’t figure to be routine.
In boys play, Bay Rivers runner-up Tabb beat James Monroe of Fredericksburg 5-2 in the day’s only match that didn’t finish in a 5-0 score. The Yellow Jackets won at Nos. 4 and 6 singles to add a touch of drama, but Tabb’s top two players — Adi Shetty and Matt Murch — breezed to victories in singles and doubles to clinch the Tigers’ triumph. No. 3 Jackson Rhew and No. 5 Jacob Barclay were Tabb’s other victors.
The 5-0 boys shutouts were by defending champion Courtland over Prince Edward, Grafton against Powhatan and BRD champion Jamestown over Riverbend.
Tabb faces unbeaten Courtland at 9 a.m. Friday at Kiwanis Park, and Jamestown hosts Grafton, the Bay Rivers’ third-place team, at 9.
Courtland has most of its starters back from a team that swept three Bay Rivers opponents in last year’s regional, and Tabb will need victories by Shetty and upsets from other players to advance. Jamestown is a big favorite to repeat its regular-season victory over Grafton.
In girls competition, BRD champion Lafayette shut out James Monroe, Jamestown ousted Prince Edward and Tabb defeated Riverbend. Lafayette needed to replace No. 6 player Allie Mitchell, who has a dislocated shoulder.
The Rams, who beat Jamestown 6-3 April 18 to end the Eagles’ nine-year Bay Rivers winning streak, need another victory at noon Friday on the Eagles’ courts to reach Saturday’s 9 a.m. final at Jamestown. Battlefield District champion Courtland against BRD runner-up Tabb, which should be a highly competitive match, is scheduled for noon Friday at Kiwanis Park.

DAILY PRESS