GIRLS' TENNIS: YOUTH MOVEMENT HAS RIO MESA GIRLS ON THE MOVE SPARTANS A WIN AWAY FROM DIV. IV FINAL.Byline: ERIK BOAL Special to the Daily News Sonia Landeros' smile quickly disappeared. Jessica Vizents' elation elation /ela·tion/ (e-la´shun) emotional excitement marked by acceleration of mental and bodily activity, with extreme joy and an overly optimistic attitude. was replaced by a look of disbelief Disbelief See also Skepticism. Capys Trojan who mistrusted Trojan Horse; cautioned against bringing it into the city. [Gk. Myth.: Zimmerman, 50] Cassandra no one gave credence to her accurate prophecies of doom. [Gk. Myth. . And Sarah Zook's enthusiasm was tempered as she watched Rio Mesa of Oxnard girls' tennis coach Steve Worthington walk toward center court with a somber som·ber adj. 1. a. Dark; gloomy. b. Dull or dark in color. 2. a. Melancholy; dismal: a somber mood. b. Serious; grave. look on his face. ``We added it up and it came out 78-78,'' said Worthington, referring to the games tally between the Spartans and Quartz Hill following Tuesday's Southern Section Div. IV quarterfinal quar·ter·fi·nal adj. Of or relating to one of four competitions in a tournament, whose winners go on to play in semifinal competitions. n. 1. quarterfinals A quarterfinal round. 2. A quarterfinal match. match. ``Then we added it up again and you're in the semifinals.'' Worthington's relaxed approach to an intense situation is the bi-product of coaching six girls who weren't even born the last time the Spartans advanced to the final four. But thanks to the talent and youthful enthusiasm of Landeros, Vizents, Zook and fellow ninth-graders Savannah Savannah, city, United States Savannah, city (1990 pop. 137,560), seat of Chatham co., SE Ga., a port of entry on the Savannah River near its mouth; inc. 1789. Arnot, Meghan Richardson and Claire Willey, Rio Mesa (17-2) is one win away from reaching a division title match for the first time in program history. ``They were born for pressure. They were born for this moment,'' said Worthington, whose team outlasted Quartz Hill 79-78 on games to reach the semifinals for the first time since 1983. ``They're young, but they're experienced. And they don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. fear.'' Worthington had plenty to be fearful of entering this season, losing sophomore Candace Scholler -- last year's Pacific View League singles champion -- to an injury and his top doubles team, Jen and Meg Niesluchowski, to graduation. For Vizents, her only fear was finding a spot in the Rio Mesa lineup A criminal investigation technique in which the police arrange a number of individuals in a row before a witness to a crime and ask the witness to identify which, if any, of the individuals committed the crime. . ``Honestly, I don't think any of us thought we'd make it to the semifinals. Most of us were just hoping to make the varsity team In the United States and Canada and UK, varsity sports teams are the principal athletic teams representing a college, university, or high school or other secondary school. Such teams compete against the principal athletic teams at other colleges/universities, or in the case of as freshmen,'' said Vizents, a Pacific View singles finalist. ``We're still in a state of shock. We believe we can take this program as far as we want to. We're a team of destiny, a team of hope. People are going to start taking us more serious now.'' The otherwise playful play·ful adj. 1. Full of fun and high spirits; frolicsome or sportive: a playful kitten. 2. group of ninth-graders understood the severity of the situation Tuesday, with Rio Mesa facing a three-set, nine-game deficit in the final round. But thanks to victories from Landeros and Vizents and one crucial game from Zook in a loss to Quartz Hill's Ashley Litchfield, the Spartans staged one of the program's great comebacks. ``(That) was by far my biggest win,'' Landeros said. ``We were the underdogs, but we came through.'' The Spartans will again play the role of underdog at 2 p.m. today when they play at No. 2 Valencia of Placentia (22-1). ``We've been underdogs the whole season but we like the role. It motivates us,'' said Zook, who has served underhand this season after suffering torn neck ligaments a year ago. ``Teams come out and expect to beat us because we're all freshmen. But we've been able to surprise a lot of people. We didn't expect to get to the semifinals but now we believe we can do it. We have a chance.'' -- Sean Ceglinsky contributed erik.boal@dailynews.com (818) 713-3607 CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: Sarah Zook, left, and Sonia Landeros are two of the key players for Rio Mesa, which plays today in the Div. IV semifinals. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News Box: GIRLS' TENNIS PLAYOFFS |
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