Many questions were answered at Saturday's New TrierFeatherfest. The one still plaguing coaches is how to stopsecond-ranked Palatine, which beat three highly rated teams to win.
The Pirates swept two singles and two doubles flights to score16 points, outlasting Evanston (12), Hersey (9) and Downers GroveNorth (7). Elsewhere, top-ranked Andrew won the Deerfield quad witha doubles sweep.
Colleen McKeown and Stacey Sander led Palatine to its secondtournament title in a row with a No. 1 doubles victory overProspect's Barb Fox and Joy Bjork 5-15, 16-11, 15-12. McKeown andSander wore out all three final-round opponents in split sets.Angela Zemla, Sue Lee and the No. 4 fourth doubles of Dani Paquetteand Chris Barr also won for the Pirates.
Palatine was inspired by the return of No. 1 singles playerJenny Link, who has recovered from a stress fracture in a foot. Linkreached the semifinals before falling to top-rated Sue Connor ofDowners North 2-3, 11-6, 11-7.
"Everybody emphasized how good we'd be when Jenny got back butthe team rallied when she was out," Palatine coach Kathy Crandallsaid. "Melissa Stevens did a super job in her place. We're evenstronger with Jenny back.
"Depth has been key to our success. We had wins at three andfour singles and fourth doubles. It's definitely been a team effort.The last time we won the Featherfest (1985), we won the state."
In first singles, Connor beat Hersey's Britt Johnson 11-5, 11-4.It was Connor's second victory of the season over No. 3Johnson.
No. 3 Evanston chased Palatine but dropped two matches thatcould have forged a tie. At third singles, Evanston's CarlitaMatthews lost to Zemla 6-11, 11-9, 11-6 while the first doubles ofMarcey Ring and Maeve O'Meara split with McKeown and Sanders beforebowing 15-5, 11-15, 15-12.
Evanston's Elizabeth Johnson and Mary Lembke took the seconddoubles title and teammates Courtney McConnell and Justine Abel wonthe third flight.
"We walked out today holding our heads up," Evanston coachShirley Nannini said. "We have a lot of respect for Palatine, butthey're within our grasp."
Evanston will have a chance to catch the Pirates at homeSaturday when the Wildkits host the ABCD tournament.
Second-ranked Helen Won of Maine West coasted through the No. 1singles at the Deerfield quadrangular but Andrew's Debbie Pruim andTeresa Bahaveolos and Sheryl Dworak and Maddie Ramaos led a doublessweep to give Andrew the team title.
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