THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, November 18, 1994 TAG: 9411170207
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 25 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Short : 43 lines
Rarely does something so good start off so bad.
Mily Kannarkat opened her quest for a Group AAA state tennis title by getting hammered, 6-2, in the first set by Clover Hill's Amy Fowler. So convincing was Fowler's triumph Kannarkat later jokingly told someone she could visualize the newspaper headline ``Kannarkat Loses in State Tournament.''
No one will see such a headline this year, though, because the Patriots' freshman shook off the first set loss and turned in some of her best tennis of the year.
Fowler was dispatched quickly in the next two sets. She then routed West Springfield's Meaghan Andrews with even more precision.
And Saturday, Kannarkat remarkably raised her game even higher and roared past Yorktown's Caryn Cuthbert to become the first freshman to win the state singles crown since First Colonial's Julie Shiflet in 1986.
Kannarkat then teamed with Anne Crenshaw to advance to the state doubles final, where they fell in three sets. It marked only the fifth time since 1974 an Eastern Region team has gotten that far. No region team has won the title in that span.
It all made for a near-perfect ending. Unfortunately for Patriot opponents who will have to deal with Kannarkat the next three years, it's only the beginning. ILLUSTRATION: Photos by L. Todd Spencer
Elizabeth and Joy Kannarkat watch their daughter Mily compete.
Kannarkat won the singles title.
It's only the beginning for Mily Kannarkat. She became the first
freshman to win the state singles crown since 1986.
by CNB