Indians Clinch Lightly

For a moment Thursday during the Foothill League girls’ tennis match at Hart High, it looked like fans would be left in the dark about who would win the league title.

But with late afternoon visibility rapidly diminishing, the Burroughs’ No. 1 doubles team of Danette Romero and Sara Baldwin beat the darkness and Hart’s No. 3 team of Bethanie Campbell and Kristen Semelsberger. That gave Burroughs a 10-8 victory and its third consecutive Foothill League championship.

A victory by Semelsberger and Campbell would have forged a 9-9 tie and forced the coaches to count games, as was the case in their last meeting, a Burroughs victory.

As it turned out, Semelsberger and Campbell needed a 6-0 victory to give Hart the match. Not counting the last set, Burroughs held a 68-63 edge in games.

“We went down fighting,” Campbell said. “We tried, but we just couldn’t pull it off.”

Some of the players for Hart (9-6, 8-2) came dressed in Halloween costumes, with makeup and colored hair, but Burroughs (14-2, 10-0) came dressed only for success.

Romero and Baldwin swept their three sets. In the match-clincher, they trailed 3-1 before storming back to take the set, 6-4. After the final point, Romero leaped high in the air and let out a piercing scream while hugging Baldwin.

Moments later the entire Burroughs team mobbed them on the court in celebration of the league title and the team’s 30th consecutive Foothill victory, a streak that spans the past three seasons.

“Our team is so awesome,” Romero said.

In singles play, No. 1 Jieun Jacobs of Hart swept her sets to complete an undefeated Foothill season at 30-0.

Nos. 1 and 2 singles Christina Irinco and Shaland Romero of Burroughs each won two of three sets, losing only to Jacobs.

Campbell and Semelsberger, usually Hart’s Nos. 2 and 3 singles players, were moved to doubles in a strategical ploy designed to get Hart the extra point it needed in the last set.

“They both lost all three sets last time,” Hart Coach Steve Love said. “I felt we stood a better chance with them at doubles.

“They haven’t played much together but it was worth a shot, and we came very close.”

What foiled Love’s plan more than anything was Burroughs’ No. 2 team of Romina Pedone and Adrineh Galstain. They surprised Campbell and Semelsberger with a 7-5 victory, scoring their only victory of the match.

“It’s disappointing because we came so close to making something happen,” Love said. “I’m glad I tried [the switch] and I’d do it again.”

Love added that it was a desperation move in an effort to defeat a stronger team.

“The better team usually wins,” he said.