CR NORTH:
Indians score hat trick at states
By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor
Does it get any better than this?
After capturing the District One-AAA championship and a state runnerup trophy in team play, three tennis players from the Council Rock North boys tennis team captured individual medals on Saturday, May 23 at Hershey Racquet Club.
North junior David Kazakevich, the Rock’s No 1 singles player all season long, captured the top prize for the Indians when he took the bronze medal after defeating Upper St. Clair senior Jay Jones in singles consolations.
North seniors Luv Sodha and Joe Peters also captured a fourth place medal in the doubles tournament after winning their first two matches in straight sets.
Sodha and Peters didn’t fare as well as Kazakevich in consolations, falling to Fox Chapel sophomore Shankar Rajaput and junior Brad Portnoy. The pair did manage to take their opponents to a third set when they won the second set, 7-6 (6).
Like he has all season long, Kazakevich led the Rock’s effort at states, opening the singles tourney by disposing of District 4 champion Mateus Camasmie, a senior from Williamsport, in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4.
In a state quarterfinal matchup, David defeated District 7 runnerup Matt Slamecka, a junior from Butler High, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2.
Kazakevich stumbled against District 10 champion Landon Williams, a junior from McDowell, 7-6 (6), 7-5 but he rebounded well in a battle for third place when he outpaced Jones, who was the District 7 champion, 7-5, 7-5.
Meanwhile, in the doubles tourney, Sodha and Peters easily disposed of Abington Heights sophomore Josh Palmer and freshman Nathan Engh--champions from District 2--in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1. The duo then defeated Philly Public League champions Gabe Steerman and James Ayer, a pair of juniors from Central High, 6-3, 6-1.
Sodha and Peters’ first stumble came in the state semifinal matchup against State College juniors Anurag Kumar and Chris Borden--District 6 champions--before falling in consolations.
As a team this season, Rock did what no other North team did before it, capture a district title in boys tennis. The Indians posted its incredible triumph May 11 at Perkiomen Valley, outpacing perennial powerhouse Lower Merion, 3-2.
Again, the win there hinged on Kazakevich’s success.
No. 1 doubles players Hugo Sanchez and Greg Wasserman along with No. 2 team Dan Snyder and Drew Newman had already won in straight sets. But Matt Savin and Robbie Kay posted wins in straight sets at No. 2 and 3 singles respectively for the Aces.
With the score tied at two wins apiece, Kazakevich pulled off a stunning upset of Coby Kramer-Golinkoff to give the Indians a 3-2 victory.
Kazakevich had faced Kramer-Golinkoff five times before and lost four of the matches. Dave won the first set on a tiebreaker but Kramer-Golinkoff came back and won the second set.
In the rubber match, the Rock senior broke his opponent’s serve to go up 2-1 then went ahead 3-2 before reeling off the next three points for a 6-2 victory and Rock’s first D-I title in the sport since 1995. *
In states, the Indians defeated Erie McDowell, 3-2 in the quarterfinals and Radnor, 3-1 in the semis before falling to North Allegheny in the state championship match, 3-2.
***
* Council Rock High won the district title in ’95 but that was before the district built CR South, which opened in 2002.
LineScores
SINGLES
David Kazakevich - CR North junior
Def. Williamsport senior Mateus Camasmie, 6-2, 6-4
Def. Butler junior Matt Slamecka, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2
lost to McDowell junior Landon Williams 7-6 (6), 7-5
Def. Upper St. Clair senior Jay Jones, 7-5, 7-5
DOUBLES
Luv Sodha/ Joe Peters - CR North seniors
Def. Josh Palmer/ Nathan Engh - Abington Heights, 6-1, 6-1
Def. Gabe Steerman/ James Ayer - Central, 6-3, 6-1
lost to Anurag Kumar/ Chris Borden - State College, 6-1, 7-6 (7)
lost to Shankar Rajaput / Brad Portnoy - Fox Chapel, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-2
Sports Editor
Does it get any better than this?
After capturing the District One-AAA championship and a state runnerup trophy in team play, three tennis players from the Council Rock North boys tennis team captured individual medals on Saturday, May 23 at Hershey Racquet Club.
North junior David Kazakevich, the Rock’s No 1 singles player all season long, captured the top prize for the Indians when he took the bronze medal after defeating Upper St. Clair senior Jay Jones in singles consolations.
North seniors Luv Sodha and Joe Peters also captured a fourth place medal in the doubles tournament after winning their first two matches in straight sets.
Sodha and Peters didn’t fare as well as Kazakevich in consolations, falling to Fox Chapel sophomore Shankar Rajaput and junior Brad Portnoy. The pair did manage to take their opponents to a third set when they won the second set, 7-6 (6).
Like he has all season long, Kazakevich led the Rock’s effort at states, opening the singles tourney by disposing of District 4 champion Mateus Camasmie, a senior from Williamsport, in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4.
In a state quarterfinal matchup, David defeated District 7 runnerup Matt Slamecka, a junior from Butler High, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2.
Kazakevich stumbled against District 10 champion Landon Williams, a junior from McDowell, 7-6 (6), 7-5 but he rebounded well in a battle for third place when he outpaced Jones, who was the District 7 champion, 7-5, 7-5.
Meanwhile, in the doubles tourney, Sodha and Peters easily disposed of Abington Heights sophomore Josh Palmer and freshman Nathan Engh--champions from District 2--in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1. The duo then defeated Philly Public League champions Gabe Steerman and James Ayer, a pair of juniors from Central High, 6-3, 6-1.
Sodha and Peters’ first stumble came in the state semifinal matchup against State College juniors Anurag Kumar and Chris Borden--District 6 champions--before falling in consolations.
As a team this season, Rock did what no other North team did before it, capture a district title in boys tennis. The Indians posted its incredible triumph May 11 at Perkiomen Valley, outpacing perennial powerhouse Lower Merion, 3-2.
Again, the win there hinged on Kazakevich’s success.
No. 1 doubles players Hugo Sanchez and Greg Wasserman along with No. 2 team Dan Snyder and Drew Newman had already won in straight sets. But Matt Savin and Robbie Kay posted wins in straight sets at No. 2 and 3 singles respectively for the Aces.
With the score tied at two wins apiece, Kazakevich pulled off a stunning upset of Coby Kramer-Golinkoff to give the Indians a 3-2 victory.
Kazakevich had faced Kramer-Golinkoff five times before and lost four of the matches. Dave won the first set on a tiebreaker but Kramer-Golinkoff came back and won the second set.
In the rubber match, the Rock senior broke his opponent’s serve to go up 2-1 then went ahead 3-2 before reeling off the next three points for a 6-2 victory and Rock’s first D-I title in the sport since 1995. *
In states, the Indians defeated Erie McDowell, 3-2 in the quarterfinals and Radnor, 3-1 in the semis before falling to North Allegheny in the state championship match, 3-2.
***
* Council Rock High won the district title in ’95 but that was before the district built CR South, which opened in 2002.
LineScores
SINGLES
David Kazakevich - CR North junior
Def. Williamsport senior Mateus Camasmie, 6-2, 6-4
Def. Butler junior Matt Slamecka, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2
lost to McDowell junior Landon Williams 7-6 (6), 7-5
Def. Upper St. Clair senior Jay Jones, 7-5, 7-5
DOUBLES
Luv Sodha/ Joe Peters - CR North seniors
Def. Josh Palmer/ Nathan Engh - Abington Heights, 6-1, 6-1
Def. Gabe Steerman/ James Ayer - Central, 6-3, 6-1
lost to Anurag Kumar/ Chris Borden - State College, 6-1, 7-6 (7)
lost to Shankar Rajaput / Brad Portnoy - Fox Chapel, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-2
Labels: boys tennis, CR North
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