Irish eyes still smilin'...

By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com

Don’t think there was ever a question about whether or not McGuinness could make it title No. 11 in a row. Absolutely loaded at each spot that it really wasn’t possible for another team to make a dent in 5A.

However, there were some real tense moments in the McGuinness singles championship matches with Whitney Ritchie vs. Andrea Lewis (Bishop Kelley) and Mia Lancaster vs. Meredith Burns (Bishop Kelley).

A selfish part of me was hoping that Lancaster/Burns match would have went three sets because that would have easily been the match of the tournament.

Lancaster smoked Burns in the first set, 6-1, but Burns found her footing and waged a great duel in the second set and even led 5-2 at one point before losing in a tie-breaker. I believe it was 7-5 in the breaker.

Ritchie had beaten Lewis, 6-0, 6-0, in their only official meeting before Saturday. She was up 6-2, 5-2, at the Cascia Hall Tournament before it was called off because of rain.

Lewis came out and made a strong statement (and not just because she was my Player to Watch). She was up 4-1, and Ritchie was in real trouble with the hard-hitting Lewis.

That’s why I talked about Ritchie’s heart because she hadn’t been tested all season and came through in spades when she finally was.