By Steve Pratt, special to USTA.com
CAYCE, S.C. – The USTA Mid-Atlantic’s Elite DMV squad won the Advanced title, while the USTA Caribbean Section team Pirates Squad claimed the Intermediate crown at the finals of the 2016 Junior Team Tennis National Championships.
Elite DMV proved too tough for a game USTA Midwest team from The Racquet Club of Columbus (Ohio) in the championship match, claiming the top prize with a 58-31 win at the Cayce Tennis Center. In the Intermediate Final, the USTA Caribbean Section team Pirates Squad got by the USTA Middle States team the Delaware Nightmare, 53-38, to capture its first national title.
“We’re definitely excited to be national champs,” said Elite DMV Coach Malcolm Greene (pictured above with his team). “We were committed this goal from the start and the kids saw it through. We won every match today and we stayed focused as a team. We’ve definitely grown since last year.”
MVPs for the DMV included Mikeal Carpenter and Trinity Grear on the boys’ side, and Adrianna Peradoza on the girls’ side. “Those guys did everything they were asked to do and proved too good today,” Greene said.
Grear defeated Trevor Ball, 6-3, 6-0, in boys’ singles and Peradoza won her match in girls’ singles match over Madeline Atway, also in straight sets.
“This was the farthest any team from Columbus has ever gotten, so we’re proud,” said RCC Coach Guy Parks, who will also have an 18-and-Under team from his club competing at Nationals next weekend. “Sure it would have been nice to win, but we’ll take the runner-up every time we come.”
Columbus team members included Dean Atway, Griffin Biernat, Madeline Atway, Caroline Sproule, Ball, Katherine Wang, Ella Hazelbaker, and Pavan Uppu.
Other Elite DMV team members besides Peradoza, Grear and Carpenter included Taj Byrom, Moriah McDonald, Langston Williams, Origen Grear, Mya Spencer, Yvonne Lopez, Kai Goodall and Clervie Ngounoue.
Coached by Juan Sauri, the Intermediate Caribbean Pirates Squad from San Juan were led by singles players Valeria Gonzalez and Derec Rodriguez and the strong doubles play all weekend by Edgardo Piovanetti.
“We heard people saying they were surprised we did so well because we are just a small island,” Sauri said. “We really showed people that we could really play.”
Pirates Squad team members included Gonzalez, Jean Legrand, Adele Fernández, Sara Forastieri, Rodriguez, Ignacio Zorrilla, Roberto Agresar, Maria Díaz, Piovanetti and Albert Fernández.
Taking third place in the Advanced division was the USTA Southern ATL Fire as they got past the Caribbean wild card Torrimar II team, 53-25. Capturing third in Intermediate was Northern California (Willow Glen, Calif.), which beat the Missouri Valley team from the Tulsa Tucker Tennis Academy, 53-31.
ADVANCED RESULTS
Championship
Mid-Atlantic (DMV Elite) def. Midwest (RCC), 58-31
Third-Fourth Place
Southern (ATL Fire) def. Caribbean WC (Torrimar II), 53-25
Fifth-Sixth Place
Middle States (RED Warriors) def. Caribbean (Torrimar III), 48-44
Seventh-Eighth Place
Missouri Valley (MAC West) def. Northern California (Golden Gate Park), 46-45
Ninth-10th Place
Northern WC (BLS) def. Northern (Fridley), 57-35
11th-12th Place
Southern WC (NC Panthers)* def. Middle States WC (Allegheny Aces), 48-26
*-The Cary, N.C., Panthers automatically finish 12th due to ineligibility.
Advanced Sportsmanship Awards
Girls: Olive Maunupau, USTA NorCal (Golden Gate Park)
Boys: Tie: Trevor Ball, USTA Midwest (Racquet Club of Columbus); Ethan Lee, Middle States (RED Warriors).
Team Spirit Award: USTA Southern Wild Card (Charlotte, N.C.): Kaelan VanCleeff, Henry Hutton, Kondwani Patterson, Bennett Turner, Libby McGivern, Maggie Gehrig, Elyse Duley.
Best Team Banner Award: USTA NorCal (Golden Gate Park): Louis Maunupau (coach), Olive Maunupau, Daisy Maunupau, Callie Tzab, Daniel Gaffney, Max Belandres, Michael Medina.
INTERMEDIATE RESULTS
Championship
Caribbean (Pirate Squad) def. Middle States (Delaware Nightmare), 53-38
Third-Fourth Place
Northern California (Willow Glen) def. Missouri Valley (Tucker Tennis Academy), 53-31
Fifth-Sixth Place
Eastern (World Gym Blue) def. New England (MadRackets), 52-38
Seventh-Eighth Place
Midwest (RCC) def. Northern (BLS), 46-33
Ninth-10th Place
Southern (CTP Cardinals) def. Mid-Atlantic (Racquet Scientists), 50-45
11th-12th Place
Hawaii Pacific (Mililani Monster Tennis) def. Southern California (Sunshine Aces G6), 47-31
13th-14th Place
Southwest (Cramer’s 14s) def. Pacific Northwest (ETC Survivors), 46-45
15th-16th Place
Southern WC (Paces Club) def. Texas (Spring Branch TC), 58-25
Intermediate Sportsmanship Awards
Girls: Carina Holguin, USTA Texas (Spring Branch)
Boys: Chaz Nagasawa, USTA Hawaii (Mililani Monster Tennis)
Team Spirit Award: USTA Texas (Spring Branch): Kuda Sengai (coach), Malachi Farley, Andres Garza, Dylan Roseberry, Ben Young, Carissa Holguin, Carina Holguin, Alyssa Baum, Kamryn Sanchez, Jodi Glenn, Riley Glenn.
Best Team Banner Award: USTA Hawaii (Mililani Monster Tennis): Walter Balignasay (coach), Alexander Santa Cruz, Chaz Nagasawa, Jacob Kuklok, Zachary Young, Niya Barbary, Jaeden Chang, Katie Nishimura, Sheela Nair.