By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
When the second round of state high school tennis tournament ended on Thursday, Northern Kentucky still had contenders in all four brackets, and one of them is only 11 years old.
Sarah Watanabe, a seventh-grader on the Covington Latin team, is the youngest player in the girls singles bracket going into the round of 16 on Friday at the University of Kentucky. She will play Lexington Christian sophomore Lauren Waddles at 9:15 a.m. with the winner advancing to the quarterfinals.
Watanabe, who qualified for her first state high school tournament as the 9th Region runner-up in girls singles, won two matches in straight sets on Thursday. She defeated freshman Katherine Taylor of Beechwood, 6-4, 6-2, in the opening round and junior Katelyn Pauly of Lawrence County, 6-2, 6-0, in the second round.
The other local state qualifiers in girls singles were eliminated in the second round, including 9th Region champion Ellie Zureick of Cooper.
In the other state tournament brackets, Northern Kentucky has three contenders remaining in girls doubles, boys doubles and boys singles. The list includes 9th Region boys singles champion Toshi Watanabe of Covington Latin, the older brother of Sarah.
Here is a list of the round of 16 matches involving local players that will be played Friday morning at the University of Kentucky:
BOYS SINGLES
Toshi Watanabe (CovLatin) vs. Chris Tan (Whitley County), 8 a.m.
Max Cook (CovCath) vs. Caleb Buckman (Owensboro Catholic), 8 a.m.
Anderson McDowell (Campbell County) vs. Paul Reynolds (Louisville Manual), 8 a.m.
GIRLS SINGLES
Sarah Watanabe (CovLatin) vs. Lauren Waddles (Lexington Christian), 9:15 a.m.
BOYS DOUBLES
Benito Trojani-Cristiano Trojani (CovCath) vs. George Hulse-Christopher Salamah (Daviess County), 10:30 a.m.
Robert Spicker-Yamaan Ahmad (Villa Madonna) vs. Logan Beaver-Bo Bush (Louisville St. Xavier), 10:30 a.m.
Luke McHale-Evan Gardner (CovCath) vs. Will Andrews-Brett Folsom (Henry Clay), 10:30 a.m.
GIRLS DOUBLES
Isabelle Bailey-Lauren Fley (Notre Dame) vs. Danni Poat-Shelby Puryear (McCracken County), 11:45 a.m.
Elizabeth Hamilton-Halimae Laurino (Ryle) vs. Allison Fitzgerald-Sarah Fitzgerald (Assumption), 11:45 a.m.
Alyssa Igyarto-Amanda Shane (Ryle) vs. Jessica Hill-Caroline Lancaster (Lexington Christian), 11:45 a.m.
