San Diego Section Tennis Tournament : Valhalla’s Crawford May Opt to Skip Individual Playoffs

Defending champion Katrina Crawford of Valhalla High School is seeded first in singles in the San Diego Section individual girls’ tennis tournament, but she may not be on hand when play starts today at La Jolla High School and Bishop’s.

Crawford, a senior, said she is interested in defending her crown. But she also wants to play in the National Indoors tournament, which begins next Monday in Kansas City. The sectional semifinals are also Monday, in San Diego.

Play starts this afternoon for all 32 singles entries and 32 doubles teams, with the second and third rounds Friday. The semifinals Monday and the final Tuesday will take place exclusively at Bishop’s.

Should Crawford decide to pull out of the local event, she can do so up to five minutes before her first match this afternoon, tournament officials said.

Seeded after Crawford in singles are: Shannon Crockett of Bishop’s, second; Christy Drage of Mission Bay, third, and Julie Coakley of La Jolla, fourth. Crockett was also in last year’s tournament, but she defaulted to Crawford in the semifinals, choosing instead to play in the National Indoors.

Seeded first in the doubles division are Tina Kahan and Kim Rostovsky of 2-A champion La Jolla. Kahan and Rostovsky finished second last year to Poway’s Michele DeCosmo and Leslie Heydon.

Following Kahan and Rostovsky, the top-seeded doubles teams are: Kaliko Yandall and Stephanie Hake of University, second; Jonelle Ayson and Clarissa Cosky of Mt. Carmel, third, and Jeffie Demsey and Erin Helm of Torrey Pines, fourth.