Youth served with Falcons
By Richard Shirley

A.C. Flora girls tennis team (l-r): Sophia Smarandesca, Amanda Teague, Julia Spong, Lauren Teague, Coach Richard Shirley, Frances Timmons, Mary Catherine Horne, Carey Meares, Lauren McFadden, Austin Newman, Mary Myers Walker; kneeling (l-r) Katherine Fant, Anna Spong, Caroline deLoache.

A.C. Flora girl's varsity tennis team wrapped up a perfect 12-0 regular season record in Region III of the 3A division for South Carolina. The youthful team also had two close and exciting wins over a fine 4A Richland Northeast team. The overall regular season record for the team was 14-2 with the only losses coming in the first two matches of the year to perennial powers Irmo, 4A school, and Cardinal Newman, the two-time defending SCISA 3A State Champions.

The Falcons concluded the regular season ranked third in the state in varsity tennis in the 3A division. The first round of the state playoffs began Thursday, October 26, 2006. Flora was one of the hosts.

This accomplishment is so special because of the age and depth of the team. Flora's no. 1 player is Caroline deLoach. She was recently named Region III player of the year and was a perfect 10-0 in the region and 10-4 overall. She is only 14 and an 8th grader at Crayton Middle School.

Playing at the number two spot is seventh grader Sophia Smarandesca. Lauren Teague, 16, plays at the third spot and was also undefeated in region play. Teague's sister, Amanda, plays at no. 4 for Flora and is only 13 years old. She is also an 8th grader.

Alternating at no. 5 singles are 13-year-old Katherine Fant and 14-year-old Julia Spong. Both were undefeated in region play. Rebecca Lybrand, one of only three seniors on the team, is the only real veteran, playing her fourth year. Lybrand is a doubles specialist and was undefeated in region play. The other two seniors, each in their second year, are Lauren McFadden and Austin Newman. They joined Lybrand as co-captains of the team.

Rounding out the roster are first year varsity player Anna Spong, another 8th grader, and four sophomores: Carey Mears, in her second year on the team; Mary Myers Walker, in her third year; and two first year players, Mary Catherine Horne and Frances Timmons. There are no juniors on the team.

According to Coach Richard Shirley, every girl on the team could be starting at some of the schools in the region, which shows the depth of the team. Each girl played at least a few times this year as the depth of talent allowed Coach Shirley to vary his lineup without a major loss of strength. Shirley is in his fourth year at Flora and was named the Region III Coach of the Year.

This is at least the sixth year in a row the Falcons have won their region with an unblemished record, which means that Flora has won over 60 consecutive region matches.

The Falcons defeated Belton-Honea Path 5-2 in the first round of the playoffs but lost to Greenville 4-3 at Cleveland Park in the second round Monday, October 30, 2006.

The match lasted over three hours and was not decided until Greenville's no. 1 doubles team won a 6-3,7-5 victory over Lauren Teague and Caroline deLoach.

Greenville's team raced to a 5-1 lead in the second set, but a spirited comeback by Flora tied the set at 5-5. Unfortunately for the Falcons, they ran out of steam and lost the thriller.

No. 1 doubles were required to decide the match as the team score was 3-3 after victories by Flora at no. 3 & 5 singles by Lauren Teague and Katherine Fant respectively and at no. 2 doubles by Julia Spong & Rebecca Lybrand.

The Falcons finished the 2006 season with a 15-3 record.