03 October 2012

Girls Tennis: No.5 Century ends Tiger season

Ryan Jara lost 1-6, 2-6 at second singles (photo by Jim Lindquist)
Farmington doubled its win total from a season ago and played competitively in just about every match it played this fall.

Unfortunately, the Tigers still play in Section 1AAA, one of the best in Minnesota, and that meant an opening round match with second-seeded Rochester Century.

The Panthers wasted little time in eliminating the Tigers from post-season play, cruising to a 7-0 win Tuesday afternoon in Rochester.

"It is too bad the season ended like this since it does not seem like a fitting conclusion to a year of noteworthy play," Tiger coach Jack Olwell said.

"We did so many great things and the promise of greater things is all I can see but we are just the first in a series of teams who get to taste Century's firepower. They are ranked fifth in AA but they can easily upend Mayo (No. 1 seed) since they lost an oh so close match earlier in the season.

The best Tiger performances came at second singles and second doubles where Ryan Jara and the team of Jess Novotony and Beth Fairchild each lost by a 1-6, 2-6 count.

Although the team season ended with the opening round loss, Olwell will send two singles players and two doubles teams to the Section 1AA individual tournament slated to begin next week.