Just two regions were represented among the five divisional winners on the second and final day of the USTA Florida 65 & Over Sectional Championships, hosted by the USTA National Campus.

Pinellas collected three titles – the women’s 7.0 and 8.0 plus the men’s 8.0 – overall while Marion claimed the women’s 6.0 and men’s 7.0 divisions.

Marion (Fort King Tennis Center – Ocala) was the class of the women’s 6.0 competition, posting a sterling 4-0 record. Every dual ended with a 2-1 score line, meaning the margins were thin between the champions, runner-up Duval (Southside Tennis Complex – Jacksonville), and winless Leon (Forestmeadows Park & Athletic Center – Tallahassee).  

Captained by Leslie Hagan with Carmel Connor serving as the co-captain, the full Marion roster includes Patricia James, Mary Stevens, Joan Matlock, Donna Davis, Emily Speaker, Brenda Miller, Trish Mosby, and Betsy Calder.

The women’s 7.0 crown came down to the final clash between Flight 1 winner Pinellas (Tarpon Tennis Club – Tarpon Springs) and Flight 2 champion Marion (Citrus Hills Tennis Club – Hernando). All three courts were decided in straight sets, with Pinellas coming through at the first and third positions. Jeannine Hodges and Barbara Nicoll dominated court one 6-0, 6-1 while their teammates Karen Cady and Joan Johnson prevailed 6-1, 6-3 at line three. Marion’s Tana Hubbard and Lynne Finman got their team on the board thanks to their 6-1, 6-3 effort at the second spot.

Ellen Hellmers is the captain of the Pinellas crew that consists of Patricia Alfonso, Hodges, Anne Meisterlin, Johnson, Sandra Lamy, Cady, Nicoll, Debbie Ramker, and Susan Lazarides.

The Pinellas (St. Petersburg Tennis Center) squad owned control of the women’s 8.0 competition from start to finish. In total, they ended up going a perfect 5-0 for the weekend on the strength of 12 court victories and 25 sets won; runner-up Hillsborough (River Hills Country Club – Valrico) finished with eight individual matchup wins and 19 sets earned.

Captain Kathy Moll’s Pinellas crew features a complete roster of Holly Charles, Susan Tarantino, Frances Strazzulla, Sandy Martin, Clara Reynolds, Linda Miller, Debbie Dawson, Ann Worthington, Susan Hobbs, and Linda Riffe.

As expected, the men’s 7.0 title came down to Marion (Glenview Champions Tennis Club – The Villages) and Collier (Club at Longshore Lake – Naples). The two teams entered their head-to-head battle with identical 3-0 records, but it would be Marion triumphing two courts to one for the clinching result. They closed the weekend with 10 court victories while dropping only two.

Marion is captained by Michael James with Robert Anglace, James Robertson, Blake Gall, John Ulrich, Robert Kluemper, Tim Puckett, Carlos Munoz, David Barnes, David O’Steen, James VanEmburgh, and Dennis Stasiak making up the complete team roster.

After going unscathed in flight play, Pinellas (McMullen Tennis Complex – Clearwater) and Duval (Magnolia Point Golf & Country Club – Green Cove Springs) squared off in the men’s 8.0 divisional final. All three courts would be tightly-contested, with the Pinellas duo of William Christensen and Albert Alhadeff taking line two 6-2, 7-6 while Duval’s Michael Lege and Robert Williamson countering with a 7-5, 6-2 effort on court three. That turned all eyes to the top spot, where Thor Moody and Roger Bensinger delivered a 5-7, 6-3, 1-0 win for Pinellas.

Stephen Mullis serves as the captain of the Pinellas crew that also consists of John Leep, Alhadeff, Moody, Bensinger, Randy Sterns, Raymond Strazdas, Terry Reeb, Ronald Thomas, Jim Kennerly, and Christensen.

For complete results from the USTA Florida Adult 65 & Over Sectional Championships, click here.