Severna Park retained the Anne Arundel County high school tennis title, defeating second-place Arundel, 41-33, yesterday at Chesapeake-AA High School.
The Falcons won their second county championship in a row without a first-place finisher. However, 11 out of their 14 players qualified for the district tournament.
"This was the best team finish we've had in the 10 years I've been here," said Severna Park coach Margie Nicholson. "We only lost two matches before the final two rounds, so those points really added up for us in the end."
Unlike the previous two years, the top four finishers -- instead of the top three -- in all categories received district tournament berths.
Annapolis sophomore Meghan Cornwall won her second straight county girls singles title by defeating the Falcons' German exchange student Britta Adolf, 6-2, 6-2. Jen Beers of Arundel upended Jen Lanning of Old Mill, 6-3, 6-1, to gain third place.
Top-seeded Andrew Carlson of Arundel topped 1993 finalist Ben Rawitt of Severna Park, 7-5, 6-2, to take the boys singles title. Rawitt's teammate Dave Hatlef defeated Chesapeake's Sean Murphy, 6-1, 6-3, in the consolation match.
In girls doubles action, Arundel's Lindsay Carlson and Heather Frick turned back Severna Park's Allison Weitz and Sara Wuest, 6-3, 6-2, for first. Third place went to Chesapeake's Suzanne Stump and Katie Davis, 6-3, 6-4 winners over Old Mill's Jackie Bordelli and Lisa Agallicchio.
Mark and Matt Hanna of South River took a three-set win over Arundel's Greg McGuffin and Dave Townsend, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. In an all-Severna Park consolation, Steve Strzelczyk and Andy Hawkins beat Rob Anderson and Steve Boyle, 3-6, 6- 4, 6-3.
Howie Edelstein and Erin Sears of Chesapeake trimmed the Falcons tandem of Jeff Conroy and Brownwyn Fulton, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3, in the mixed doubles final. Neally Harris and Chad Schneider of Arundel took a straight-set win over Chesapeake's Angie Hudgins and Shane Hatmaker, 7-5, 6-1.
The district tournament begins Wednesday at Lake Clifton. Thursday and Friday the tourney shifts to Chesapeake-AA.