Olentangy Orange High School girls tennis coach Mark Latham had a difficult time putting together a scouting report for freshman Anna Sanford's first travel to the Part I state tournament.
"There are so many freshmen there and it's difficult to get any information around them," Latham said.
Sanford and Olentangy Liberty's Sydney Power are among the five freshmen making their introduction at the Part I state singles tournament this year.
The freshman class has more representatives this class than freshmen have had in the final 3 years combined.
Sanford faces Aurora sophomore Madelyn Gilley, the third-place finisher from the Northeastern district. Power plays Westlake sophomore Lauren Golick, the Northeast champion, in the 1st round. Golick lost in the 1st attack of the state tournament last year.
The beginning two rounds of the tournament are Friday at Ohio Land and the semifinals and finals are Sat at Hilliard Davidson.
Sanford finished 2nd at district after defeating Power 6-0, 6-0 in the semifinals and losing to Upper Arlington's Niki Flower, the defending state singles champion, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 in the final. Power placed fourth after losing to New Albany's Meghan Buell, who won the Part I doubles championship with graduate Maddie Kobelt last year, 6-1, 6-4 in the third-place match.
The youth movement has made this a very different singles tournament. Flower is the sole remaining player who made it to the 2nd day of the singles tournament last year. Rocky River Magnificat's Stephanie Hollis and Liberty's Alex Power (Sydney's older sister), who placed third and fourth respectively last year, have graduated and Cincinnati Ursuline Academy senior Komal Safdar is playing doubles with her freshman sister Mehvish Safdar.
Historically, freshmen have struggled in the Part I singles state tournament, compiling a 7-11 record. Only two freshmen, Willoughby South's Kylie Phillips, who placed 3rd in 2008, and Dublin Jerome's Kate Turvy, who was fourth in 2006, made it to the irregular day.
This year, things might be different. Sanford enters the tournament with an 18-4 read with 3 of her losses coming against Hartley's Rachael Morales and Hilliard Bradley's Lauren Thai, who are acting in the Division II tournament.
Even in her going to Flower, Sanford looked impressive, taking the maiden set off of the Ohio State recruit since 2009. In fact Flower had entirely given up two other sets while compiling a 15-1 record in her four days of acting at the district tournament.
"It's really exciting to be passing to state," Sanford said. "I want to continue practicing and doing the things I've been doing. I've known Sydney forever and I am so happy she made it through."
Power enters the tournament with a 17-7 record with three 6, 6-0 losses to Sanford. Liberty coach Christine Kaeding said if Force is mentally focused, she's very hard to beat.
"We talked about a lot of things before the match, but the biggest thing was staying positive and patient," Kaeding said. "Once she is out there and she gets her mental game on, she's fine."
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