By Tommy Keeler Jr. -- Daily Staff Writer

WINCHESTER — "One more game and we're the champs."

That's what Sherando's Scott Sottosanti said to Christian Van de Crommert before the doubles team clinched a win that handed the Warriors the Northwestern District boys tennis tournament title.

Their win at No. 1 doubles secured a 5-3 win for Sherando over James Wood, and gives the team the opportunity to compete in next week's Region II tournament.

"It was very intense," Sottosanti said. "We've been playing well since we played Millbrook earlier in the year. We try to stay pumped up throughout the match, because it helps us stay focused."

The Warriors weren't the only winners on the day. Handley's girls tennis team won its fourth straight district tournament title with a 5-0 victory over James Wood in the finals.

"It's exciting that we won this," Handley junior Mykenzie Garrett said. "Going into regionals it gives us a confidence boost. It feels good."

The girls teams for Handley and James Wood had already advanced to regionals, but in the boys final, a berth was at stake and emotions were running rampant. The outlook of the match changed several times, and both teams were vocal as the regional nod was within reach.

The match was even, 3-3, through six singles contests, which features four 3-set thrillers. That meant the postseason district title came down to doubles.

Sherando's No. 2 doubles team of Trevor Scott and Nicky Lee pulled out a 7-5, 6-3 win over James Wood's John Stanfield and Rusty Jenkins to take a 4-3 lead.

Sottosanti and Van de Crommert won the first set at No. 1, 6-0, but James Wood's Thomas Wilson and Matt Palmer wouldn't go away quietly.

Wilson and Palmer saved two match points to pull within 5-4, but with darkness setting in, the decision was made to postpone the remainder of the match if the score reached 5-5. That was all the motivation Sottosanti and Van de Crommert needed, as they won four consecutive points to close it out.

"We knew we had to win that last [game]," Van de Crommert said. "It feels really good. My freshman and sophomore years we didn't even win a game, and now we're district champs."

The win was especially sweet for Sottosanti, who had lost in the singles individual semifinals earlier in the day. To make matters worse for Sottosanti, he trailed Wilson at No. 1 singles, 7-5, 3-0, before rallying for a 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 win.

"After losing ... I was really frustrated," Sottosanti said. "I was just out of it for that first set and a half against Thomas. Then everything just started coming together for me and I came back. That was a huge win for us."

In the girls final, the Judges wasted little time in grabbing a 4-0 lead. Wins by Katie Gordon (No. 3), Garrett (No. 4), Lane Stickley (No. 5) and Kaitlin Bock (No. 6) put the Judges in firm control.

At No. 2 singles, Handley sophomore Sarah Moomau clinched the match for the Judges with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Headley Wilson. The two were tied at 3-3 before Moomau pulled out the last three games of the opening set.

Wilson led 2-1 in the second set, but Moomau rallied by winning five of the last six games and sealed the victory with a backhand winner.

"I had to work hard," Moomau said. "She's a really good player. I had to really concentrate on every point to pull it out. I tried to be consistent until I had a short ball and then put the ball away."

The individual singles semifinals were also held at Millbrook on Wednesday. In the boys semifinals, Handley's John Adams and Central's Derek Snarr advanced to today's final. The girls final will be between Handley's Elizabeth Gardiner and James Wood's Kari Pope. All four have clinched a regional berth.

Snarr was very happy with his 7-6 (2), 6-2 win over Sottosanti, to whom he had lost twice in the regular season.

"I just tried to keep the ball in play," Snarr said. "I was really focused today. No matter how I do at regionals, I'm really proud of myself for making it there."

*Contact Tommy Keeler Jr. at tkeeler@nvdaily.com

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