4-seeded Bucktail tennis to host Lady Jays on Thursday in District 4 playoffs
By Bees O’Brien
FARWELL, PA- The 2023 PIAA District 4 2A team tennis playoffs released their bracket over the weekend and the 10-team tournament is set to get underway on Tuesday with a pair of preliminary contests.
Bucktail (14-2) drew the four seed and will host Central Columbia on Thursday at 4 p.m. in Farwell. The Lady Bluejays, out of the Pennsylvania Heartland Conference finished 12-2. Their two losses came at the hands of undefeated and top seeded Hughesville.
Central Columbia’s 5-seed is not to be taken lightly as the Lady Jays are one of the tournament favorites and a difficult draw for the Lady Bucks.
Bucktail finished behind South Williamsport in the race for the Mid Penn Conference championship and features some experienced players in their lineup.
Alexis Lowery, Gigi Balchun and Mak Wagner have shined in singles competition. Doubles team Eva Sockman and Kendall Wagner dominated most of the season. Bucktail’s number 2 doubles team of Giada DeMarte and Kedda Bissman have had an excellent season in 2023.
The only common opponent Bucktail and Central Columbia share is playoff bound Montgomery. Bucktail swept the Lady Red Raiders 5-0 and 3-2. Central Columbia owns a 5-0 win over Montgomery. This will be the Lady Bucks first meeting with a PHAC team this season.
Top seeded Hughesville (17-0) will receive a bye into the quarterfinals and await the winner of the Montgomery vs. Lewisburg preliminary matchup.
The Bucktail/Central Columbia winner will then meet Hughesville, Montgomery or Lewisburg, depending on who survives that half of the bracket.
Mid Penn Champions South Williamsport grabbed the two seed and will await Tuesday’s match between Cowanesque Valley and Bloomsburg. The winner of that match will meet the Lady Mounties on Thursday.
Jersey Shore, a state qualifier from 2022 will start off the playoffs with the 3 seed and meet Danville on Thursday. The Lady ‘Dogs swept Danville in two matches this season, both by a 4-1 score.
Hughesville defeated Jersey Shore 3-2 to claim the District 4 title last season. Bucktail and Central Columbia both reached the semifinals, with Bucktail falling 3-0 to the eventual champion Lady Spartans.
