Tennis: Arnold, Bay face stiff challenges against Gulf Breeze

GULF BREEZE — It is a testament to the strength of Gulf Breeze’s tennis program that the Dolphins’ girls squad hasn’t suffered this year after the graduation of one of the state’s all-time winningest players, Jacqueline Kasler.

Now a budding star at Auburn University, Kasler collected five state championships at Gulf Breeze between 2008 and 2010. She won three straight doubles titles, and her singles title as senior last year was her second in three years. Only two players in Class 2A history won more career state titles than Kasler.

The Dolphin girls host Arnold Thursday in the second round of the Region 1-2A tournament, and the victorious team will advance to the state tournament. Gulf Breeze defeated Arnold 6-1 at the same stage last year, and the Dolphins don’t appear to have moved backward even with Kasler’s departure. Instead, Kasler’s doubles partner for the previous three years, Jennifer Pfeifler, has assumed the role as Gulf Breeze’s top player and has the Dolphins primed to compete for a team title at state.

Meanwhile, Bay’s boys team must play Gulf Breeze in the Region 1-2A second round for a trip to state. Bay’s top player, Jason Moody, has qualified for state in singles and teamed with Tyler Barr for a state berth in doubles. If the Tornadoes get three combined wins out of Moody and Barr in singles and doubles against the Dolphins Thursday, Bay would need only one other victory for the entire team to qualify for the state tournament.

Gulf Breeze defeated Bay 5-2 in the second round of regionals last year.