WHERE'S THE SUSPENSE?
As we enter the final week of team tennis play in the Mid-Penn Conference, there is no suspense within the three divisional races. Central Dauphin, Hershey and Trinity all proved themselves during the past five weeks to be the class of the Commonwealth, Keystone and Colonial divisions, respectively. In hindsight, CD's first match of season, a 3-2 win over Cumberland Valley on Aug. 22, turned out to be the difference-maker in the Commomwealth for coach Jere Bender's Rams, who held off the Eagles by one game in the standings. Team match of the year goes to the CD-Hershey showdown, won by the Trojans 3-2 on Sept. 5. It's the closest anyone has come to knocking them off. The regular season is slated to end next Monday, Oct. 1.
HARRISBURG ACADEMY
HA managed to do something Friday afternoon that no Mid-Penn school was able to this fall, and that's beat Trinity. The Spartans plucked the Shamrocks — who were without top singles player Cara Sandri — from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 3-2 win. Claire Gianakas upended pinch-hitter Mary Brigh Lavery at No. 1 singles, with Vinisha Reddy at second singles and the doubles tandem of Dana Mitro and Lauren Zang also picking up victories. Gianakas' only losses this fall have come at the hands of Camp Hill's outstanding top singles player, Eleanor Gerhard, who beat her twice in the span of eight days earlier this month. Trinity's loss leaves Hershey (12-0) as the last unbeaten Mid-Penn squad heading into the final week of play.
STREAK SNAPPED
Cedar Crest snapped a long losing streak to Lancaster-Lebanon rival Hempfield on Thursday by a score of 5-2. It was the first win over the Black Knights for Falcons coach Gila Hodge in 13 years at the helm. The Crest, at 11-1 overall and 8-0 in L-L Section I, is putting together one of those rare dream seasons. The Falcons will take on fellow L-L unbeaten Manheim Twp. in Neffsville on Wednesday.
POWER RATINGS
After a non-binding trial run last season, tennis is using power rankings to determine District 3 berths for the first time, and the initial batch of ratings were released on Friday. In Class AA, Trinity is the lone Mid-Penn squad to crack the top 8, with a rating of .7269. Wyomissing, at .7897, is the top-rated AA squad in the district. In AAA, Hershey (.7859) beats out L-L's Manheim Twp. (7858) by a nose. CD is fourth (.7472) and CV seventh (.7152). That Manheim Twp.- Cedar Crest match on Wednesday? That may decide it. The full list may be found on the District 3 website at www.piaadistrict3.org/tennis/.
JEFF DEWEES:jdewees@pnco.com
ON TWITTER: @pn_jdewees