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With a dramatic 4-3 win over South Fork, the Gateway girls’ tennis team captured the FHSAA Region 7 Championship and earned the school’s first-ever bid to the FHSAA State Championship. PHOTO/GATEWAY HIGH SCHOOL
For the first time in school history, Gateway is sending a tennis team to the FHSAA state tennis championship.
The Lady Panthers advanced to this week’s Class 3A tournament after capturing both district and regional championships. Gateway, which finished second to Class 4A Celebration at the Orange Belt Conference championships, opened up its post-season by hosting the District 3A-13 tournament.
Gateway captured 19 of a possible 21 team points in that event, and the Panthers advanced to the Region 7 championship, where they defeated Okeechobee, 5-2 in the semifinals before meeting South Fork in the finals.
In a match that went down to the wire, the Gateway’s No. 2 doubles team of Anisa and Zulaika Hanafi pulled out a dramatic victory that broke a 3-3 tie and gave the Panthers the district crown.
Gateway will next play on Wednesday against No. 3-ranked Niceville at 11 a.m. The week-long tournament is being held at Sanlando Parks in Altamonte Springs.
“Winning the first regional championship in school history and getting into the state tournament is just a thrill for our kids,” Gateway coach Jeremiah Swartz said. “Four of our top five players are seniors and they have played together for a long time. For them to cap off their final season with a trip to states means so much to them, our program and the school.”
Depth was a key for the Gateway to get through. Seniors Anaila and Aurelia Cooks filled the No. 1 and 2 singles spots all season and teamed to form the school’s top doubles team; while Zulaika and Karima Hanfi filled the number three and four singles positions. Anisa Hanfi, the lone underclassmen (sophomore) in the top five went undefeated in the regular season in singles.
Gateway will also have a representative in the individual state tournament, as senior captain Anaila Cooks won the No. 1 draw at the district tournament and has qualified for the state individual tournament.
The Panthers are not the only school with representatives at the state tournament. Celebration sends district champion Valeria Lopez as an individual; as well as No. 1 doubles team of Lopez and freshman Diana Perez. Lopez was 14-1 this season through the district tournament; while Lopez and Perez were 12-1 in doubles play.
The Lady Storm repeated as district championships and defeated East Lake 4-2 in the regional semifinals but fell in the regional finals to undefeated Steinbrenner.
