Player of the year Emily Dvorak, So., St. Petersburg
Undefeated through the regular season, Dvorak won district titles in singles and doubles and was the top starter on a St. Petersburg team that finished as district champion and made it to the region finals. Dvorak and partner Agatha Ambrozy were the top seeds and advanced to the finals of the individual doubles bracket at state before falling in three sets in the final. It was their only doubles loss all season.
Most impressive accomplishment: Dvorak entered the 4A-5 district tournament as the No. 2 seed behind Alonso's Erin Snook but upset Snook 6-3, 6-4 in the final to win her first district singles title. Behind a combination of well-placed groundstrokes and blistering serves, Dvorak simply overpowered the highly ranked Snook. In the doubles final, Dvorak and Ambrozy defeated Snook and Alonso teammate Racquel Hylton in a tight three-setter, 6-4, 0-6, 6-1. Dvorak has won two district doubles titles in two years with two partners.
Did you know? Dvorak owes much of her success to her keen fashion sense. "If I don't like my outfit, I don't play well," she said. … A Dvorak has been named Times girls player of the year two years in a row. Emily's older sister, Lindsay, last year's recipient, is currently a freshman starter at Tulane. Emily plans to play college tennis but isn't sure she'll follow her sister to New Orleans. "Sometimes I think it would be pretty cool to go there, but I'd also like to do my own thing," she said.
First team
Agatha Ambrozy, Fr., St. Petersburg: Could easily play No. 1 for most county teams.
Morgan Basil, Jr., Shorecrest: Won A-10 district singles and doubles titles and advanced to quarterfinals at state.
Julia Jones, Fr., St. Petersburg Catholic: Waltzed through regular season, districts and regionals undefeated.
Amy Lowther, Fr., Seminole: Unbeaten through regular season, districts and regionals; the main reason the Warhawks advanced to state as a team.
Laura Ospina, So., East Lake: Talented up-and-comer powered Eagles to a region berth and won a district title in doubles.
Second team
Alyssa Bellini, Jr., St. Petersburg Catholic
Natalie Boruk, Fr., Countryside
Julianne Gruber, So., Calvary Christian
Shaunte Southern, So., Palm Harbor University
Julia Teytelbaum, Jr., Palm Harbor University
Honorable mention
Countryside: Joanna Boruk
East Lake: Raquel Moya
Gibbs: Jibri Bailey, Lindsay Hodgdon
Indian Rocks Christian: Yasmin Franco
Keswick Christian: Yana Wolter
Palm Harbor University: Samantha Azadian
St. Petersburg Catholic: Jerica Coley
Seminole: Tara Lynn Carey
Shorecrest: Kathryn Komarnicki
Coach of the YearCraig Corry, Seminole
Corry took a largely untested Warhawks girls team to state for the first time in his five-year tenure at Seminole. The Warhawks captured district and region titles, also firsts.
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