SIDELINES: TENNIS

Titans win TRAC crown; Irish's Delp singles champ

5/10/2012

St. John's Jesuit won three singles titles and both doubles crowns to capture the first Three Rivers Athletic Conference boys tennis tournament Saturday at Findlay.

The Titans compiled 28 points, while the host Trojans were runners-up in all five finals matches, and placed second with 24 points.

The one title St. John's did not claim was the coveted No. 1 singles crown, which went to Central Catholic sophomore Dugan Delp.

Delp stayed unbeaten in TRAC matches and ran his record to 17-1 with a 6-3, 6-3 victory in the final over Findlay junior Lucas Schaible.

Delp is the brother of Morgan Delp who was a City League champion at No. 1 singles, and of Sydney Delp, who was a No. 2 singles champion for Central. The sisters qualified for the state tournament in doubles three straight years (2008-10).

St. John's singles titles came from freshman Kevin Brown, who defeated Findlay freshman Reid Teastorth, 6-0, 6-3, in the No. 2 final, and from senior Spencer Crawford, who beat Findlay sophomore Max MacDonald, 6-4, 6-3, in the No. 3 final.

The Titans team of senior Madev Mehta and sophomore Ryan Brown topped Findlay junior Will Jones and senior Josey Iliff, 6-2, 6-3, to claim the No. 1 doubles crown.

St. John's duo Max Rectenwald, a senior, and Trevor Majdalani, a freshman, prevailed, 7-5, 6-3, in the No. 2 doubles final over Findlay juniors Kevin Lewis and Steve Roland.

Sectionals begin

Pursuit of state tennis titles begins today with the start of boys sectional tournaments.

Jermain Park will be the site of two Division I sectionals, the first involving singles players and doubles teams from Fremont Ross, Northview, Southview, Springfield, St. John's, and Whitmer, and the other featuring competitors from Anthony Wayne, Central Catholic, Clay, Maumee, Perrysburg, and St. Francis.

Bowling Green and Findlay players will compete in a D-I sectional at the University of Northwest Ohio.

In Division II, players from Archbold, Bryan, Fostoria, Maumee Valley, Napoleon, Ottawa Hills, Rossford, and Wauseon will compete at Defiance College, while players from Fremont St. Joseph, Oak Harbor, and Port Clinton are included in the field at Port Clinton.

All sectional finals are set for Saturday at each site.

The top four singles players and doubles teams will each advance to district competition May 16, 17, and 19 at Bowling Green State University's Keefe Courts. Play in D-I is scheduled for May 17 and 19, while D-II competes on May 16 and 19.