Palo Verde teams earn final doubles spots in state tourney

Palo Verde teams earned the final doubles berths in the Division I state tennis individual tournaments Tuesday.

The Panther team of Conor Safbom and Brandon Sulzberg downed Liberty's Tristan Hoyle and Matt Drongensen, 5-7, 7-5, 6-0 in a play-in match at Darling Tennis Center.

On the girls side, Palo Verde sisters Abby Till and Alissa Till defeated Green Valley's Sydnee Crosby and Paola Davila, 5-7, 6-2, 6-2.

The top two finishers from the Sunset Region and Sunrise Region tournaments and the top three finishers in the Northern Region tournament qualify for state. The eighth spot in each flight was determined by Tuesday's play-in matches between the No. 3 finishers in the Sunset and Sunrise.

Coronado's Cassell King earned the final spot in boys singles, topping Palo Verde's Rhett Bossung, 6-3, 7-6(5).

Centennial's McKay Novak defeated Green Valley's Racquel Holder in girls singles, 6-2, 6-1.

The state tournament begins Thursday with team competition. The individual tournament starts Friday.