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[Sonny Dearth]

Merrell, Ford, Wilson among JRCC finalists

NEWPORT NEWS -- Tonique Merrell of Newport News won Saturday's most memorable match at the James River Country Club Junior Open, and Christopher Ford of Williamsburg and Graham Wilson of Newport News reached Sunday's 9 a.m. final in boys 14-and-under.

Merrell and top-seeded George Branche of McLean slugged groundstrokes at each other in their 18-and-under semifinal for more than two hours on the clay court.

Branche struggled with leg cramps, while Merrell overcame forearm cramps -- which occasionally prompted him to hit balls with his opposite (left) hand -- for a 5-7, 6-4, 1-0 (10-7) victory. Merrell faces Joshua Lee of Chesapeake for the title at 9 a.m. Sunday.

Among the players to win their age groups were Austin Peterson of Laurel, Del., in boys 12s, Katie Laderer of Norfolk in girls 18s and Lindsay Raulston of Franklin in girls 14s. ...

At Virginia Beach Tennis and Country Club, Maureen Slattery of Newport News beat No. 7 seed Katelyn Mumaw 6-3, 6-0 to earn a quarterfinal berth against No. 1 Julie Vrabel of Centreville at girls 14s Mid-Atlantic Section Championship No. 3, one of the most important tournaments toward qualifying for national events.

JAMES RIVER COUNTRY CLUB JUNIOR OPEN
Pairings and results from the Level 4 clay-court tournament (seedings):
Boys 18-and-under
Quarterfinals -- (1) George Branche d. Todd Talkington 6-1, 6-2; Tonique Merrell d. Christopher Yost 6-1, 6-3; B.J. Fisher d. Matthew Netardus 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-7); (2) Joshua Lee d. Chris Stough 6-7 (6-8), 6-2, 1-0 (7-5).
Semis -- Merrell d. Branche 5-7, 6-4, 1-0 (10-7); Lee d. Fisher 6-3, 6-1. Final -- 9 a.m. Saturday.
Boys 16-and-under
First round -- Keith West d. Tim Alger 6-4, 6-1; Jackson Breit d. (3) Evan Rutherford 6-2, 6-2; Grant Cutchin d. Max Hinders 6-1, 6-0; Jack Imbery d. Creighton Jones by default; (4) Kyle Nero d. Ryan Spruiell by default; Michael Freeman d. Connor Hoerr 6-1, 6-3; (2) Dylan Moon d. Josh Hunt 6-3, 6-3.
Quarterfinals -- (1) Craig Brawley d. West 6-0, 6-2; Breit d. Cutchin 6-1, 6-0; Nero d. Imbery 6-4, 6-1; Moon d. Freeman 6-3, 6-3. Semis -- Brawley vs. Breit; Nero vs. Moon (8:30 a.m. Saturday). Final -- 11 a.m. Saturday.
Boys 14-and-under
Quarterfinals -- Harris Blair d. Sam Hitch 6-3, 6-4; Lemuel Doss d. Jack Geddy 6-1, 6-0; (2) Graham Wilson d. Kevin Garcia 6-0, 6-0.
Semis -- (1) Christopher Ford d. Blair 6-4, 6-0; Wilson d. Doss 6-0, 6-1. Final -- 9 a.m. Saturday. Consolation final -- Geddy d. Hitch 8-5.
Boys 12-and-under
Semis -- Samuel Ross d. (1) Jordan Marshall by default; Austin Peterson d. Austen Delnicki 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-6).
Final -- Peterson d. Ross 6-2, 6-3. Third-place winner -- Delnicki.
Girls 18-and-under
Semis -- Katie Laderer d. Jessica Smith 6-2, 6-2; Sarah Haase d. Hunter Blair 7-6 (8-6), 3-6, 1-0 (10-8).
Final -- Laderer d. Haase 6-2, 6-2. Consolation final -- Smith d. Blair by default.
Girls 16-and-under
Quarterfinals -- Helen Mittmann d. Katherine Donaldson 6-3, 6-0; Virginia Wilbanks d. Nora Blalock 6-2, 6-1.
Semis -- (1) Lindsay Raulston d. Mittmann 6-1, 6-2.
Girls 14-and-under
Final -- Lindsay Raulston d. Sarah Mason.
Girls 12-and-under
Semis -- (1) Karen Pak d. Margaret Wilbanks 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (10-5); (2) Tonya Malyarenko d. Taylor Hogge 6-0, 6-1.
Final -- Pak vs. Malyarenko. Consolation final -- Wilbanks d. Hogge 8-4.