Methacton tennis comes up clutch, tops Spring-Ford in PAC-10 boys tennis
Pioneer Athletic Conference boys tennis took a page from NASCAR.
Similar to auto racing staging its biggest race, the Daytona 500, to kick off the season, PAC-10 boys tennis did the same with the meeting of defending champion Methacton and Spring-Ford — the match that has decided the league title the last two years — Thursday afternoon.
Methacton came up clutch and took the checkered flag with a 4-3 win over the Rams on their home courts in the league opener for both teams.
Three matches went to three sets, all won by Warriors (1-0, 4-0). At No. 3 singles, Kevin Wichert downed TJ Cruickshank, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4; at No. 2 doubles, Ajay Benno and Hari Santhanam rallied for a 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 win; at No. 4 doubles, Alan Shen and Matthew Zhang pulled out a 6-2, 3-6, 6-4.
That came after sophomore Subhanik Purkayastha, who played No. 2 doubles a year ago, pulled off a surprise at No. 2 singles with a 6-4, 6-4 win over PAC-10 singles tournament finalist Ryan Schweitzer.
Spring-Ford’s three wins came in straight sets, defending PAC-10 singles champion Patrick Pascual downing Ryan Hamilton, 6-1, 6-1 while Michael McCabe and Nick Griswold won at No. 1 doubles and Kevin Yun and John Fazzini won No. 3 doubles.
Singles: Patrick Pascual (SF) def. Ryan Hamilton (ME) 6-1, 6-1; Subhanik Purkayastha (ME) def. Ryan Schweitzer (SF) 6-4, 6-4; Kevin Wichert (ME) def. TJ Cruickshank (SF) 6-1, 5-7, 6-4.
Doubles: Michael McCabe/Nick Griswold (SF) def. Nick Simeone/Debanik Purkayastha (ME) 6-3, 6-2; Ajay Benno/Hari Santhanam (ME) def. Todd Unger/Matt Yerkes (SF) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3; Kevin Yun/John Fazzini (SF) def. Kelly Donahue/Krishna Suraesh. (ME) 6-4, 6-3; Alan Shen/Matthew Zhang (ME) def. Tyler McEvoy/Malcolm Hoffman (SF) 6-2, 3-6, 6-4,
Phoenixville 6, Pope John Paul II 1: A new era. Similar results.
The Phoenixville boys tennis team opened its first season without head coach Leo Scoda in more than 50 years with a 6-1 victory over Pope John Paul II Thursday afternoon.
Nick Vaile (No. 2) and Mike Pinelli (No. 3) were singles winners in straight sets while the Phantoms — now coached by Ryan Curley — swept the four doubles match.
Pope John Paul II’s lone win came at No. 1 singles from Ryan Milligan, who bested Luke Lombardi, 6-3, 6-4.
Singles: Ryan Milligan (PJP) def. Luke Lombardi, 6-3, 6-4; Nick Vaile (Px) def. Jack Donovan 6-3, 6-2; Mike Pinelli (Px) def. Kristof Marrecau 6-3, 6-1.
Doubles: Austin Starczewski/Graham Light (Px) def. Adam Donmoyer/Eric Reilly 6-0, 7-5; Mike Ellis/Arra Polloway (Px) def. Dan Jucker/Adam Granito 6-2, 6-3; Liam Bonner/Joe Vaile (Px) def. Mason Mushinski/Tommy Costello 6-2, 6-2; Chris Hytha/James Peterson (Px) def. Lorenz Rustandi/Matthew Miller 6-3, 6-2.
Perkiomen Valley 6, Owen J. Roberts 1: The Vikings swept singles with straight-set wins from Luke Pain at No. 1, Yashveer
Singh at No. 2 and Shaan Kewalramani at No. 3 and took three of four doubles matches.
Devin Murray and Emerson Odagis were OJR’s lone winners, winning in three sets at No. 3 doubles.
Singles: Luke Pain (PV) def. Utkarsh Pandey (OJR) 6-1, 6-0; Yashveer Singh (PV) def. Ethan Gelting (OJR) 6-1, 6-3; Shaan Kewalramani (PV) def. Zach Mahl (OJR) 6-3, 6-1.
Doubles: Danny Kershner/Alex Dove (PV) def. Tyler McGee/Jamie Fogwell (OJR) 6-0, 6-1; Bradley Dickerman /Michael Venezia (PV) def. Brandon Miller/Peter Sagona (OJR) 6-4, 6-3; Devin Murray/Emerson Odagis (OJR) def Dallen Hall/Ryan Shayer (PV) 6-1, 4-6, 6-4;Austin Gow/Dylan Shoemaker (PV) def. Zach Fallahee/Jake LeClaire (OJR) 6-3, 2-6, 6-2.
Perkiomen School 5, Upper Perkiomen 0: The Panthers won the season-opening Pennsburg showdown in a sweep without dropping a set.
Roger Yu topped the Indians’ Cooper Wright, 6-2, 6-3, at No. 1 singles while Michael Pulcini and Christoper Hawk were straight-set winners for Perk at Nos. 2 and 3 singles, respectively.
At No. 1 doubles, Andy You and Will Wang won 6-4, 6-2, while Jude An and Larry Li won 6-3, 6-2, at No. 2 doubles.
Singles: Roger Yu (PS) def. Cooper Wright, 6-2, 6-3; Michael Pulcini (PS) def. Jim Souder, 6-2, 6-0; Christopher Hawk (PS) def. Evan Lutz, 6-0, 6-4.
Doubles: Andy You/Will Wang (PS) def. Austin Guess/Josh Wolfe, 6-4, 6-2; Jude An/Larry Li (PS) def. Justin Weber/Ray Geiger, 6-3, 6-2.