Kauffman finishes as state singles runner-up

Raymundo Frasquillo File Photo/Gila Herald: Jacob Kauffman returns the ball during a recent match. The Willcox sophomore No. 4 seed ended as the state runner-up, going 4-1 and adding to a 15-0 regular seeding mark.

Bierman – Beals bow out in doubles semifinals

By Raymundo Frasquillo

GLENDALE – Three of 13 Division III – Section I student-athletes reached the semifinals and one was within the grasp of an individual state title. The matches were held on the Glendale Paseo Racquet Center courts on May 2.

Boys Singles Championship

The No. 2 seeded Arizona College Prep sophomore Andrew Young defeated No. 4 Willcox sophomore Jacob Kauffman 6-2 and 7-6 for the title on May 2.

*Raymundo Frasquillo File Photo/Gila Herald: Derrick Bierman readies a serve during a recent outing. The Thatcher top seed senior teamed up with Carson Beals for doubles at state.*

Young advanced to the championship match with wins over Tucson Palo Verde Magnet senior Alex Peterson (6-0 twice) in the first round, Saint David senior Kaden Watts (6-0 twice) in the second round, Scottsdale Prep sophomore Seth Puhale (6-0 twice) in the quarterfinals, No. 3 Gilbert Classical junior Uday Brathwaite (6-0, 6-1) in the semifinals.

Kauffman reached the final by defeating Tucson Pusch Ridge sophomore Daniel Jung (6-0 twice) in the first round, Gilbert Classical sophomore Maurico Rubio (6-0 twice) in the second round, No. 5 Saint David junior Lorenzo Padoan (6-2, 6-0) in the quarterfinals, and Tucson Tanque Verde sophomore Joel Hetland (6-2 twice) in the semifinals.

Gene Huish

Thatcher sophomore Gene Huish defeated Gilbert Christian junior Nolan Engel (6-2 twice) in the first round and fell 7-10 (6-2, 3-6) in a tie-breaker to No. 6 Tucson’s The Gregory School junior Luke Weather during the second round.

Ryan McClaine

Willcox senior Ryan McClaine fell 6-7 and 4-6 to Luke Weather in the first round.

Boys Doubles Championship

The No. 2 Scottsdale Prep junior Surya Surandran – sophomore Connor Swenson duo defeated the No. 1 Phoenix Country Day School senior Tyler Tam – Jacques Serrain duo 10-4 (1-6, 6-4) in a tie-breaker for the title on May 2.

Raymundo Frasquillo File Photo/Gila Herald: Leland Thompson eyes a return during a recent outing. The Pima junior along with Owen Lunt fell in two sets (1-6 twice) during the first round to an eventual quarterfinalist.

Surandran – Swenson reached the finale via wins over Thatcher juniors Hunter Sellers – Austin Haynie (6-3, 6-0) in the first round, Tucson Sabino senior Lance Markowski – sophomore J.P. Markowski (6-2 twice) in the second round, Tucson Pusch Ridge Christian senior Luke Sheridan – sophomore Collin Thompson (6-1 twice) in the quarterfinals, and No. 6 Arizona College Prep freshman Hayden Truong – junior Aidan Deogracias (6-2, 6-1) in the semifinals.

Tam – Serrain advanced to the championship via wins over Scottsdale Rancho Solana Prep seniors Luke Hammond – Enrique Serna (6-0 twice) in the first round, Phoenix Basis sophomore Aleksa Jaksic – senior Yash Soni (6-0 twice) in the second round, Arizona College Prep junior Svar Ajwani – sophomore Ani Yellaprag (6-0 twice) in the quarterfinals, and Thatcher seniors Derrick Bierman – Carson Beals (6-0, 6-1) in the semifinals.

Bierman – Beals

Thatcher seniors Derrick Bierman – Carson Beals topped Gilbert Classical juniors Zhibo Zhang – Wyatt Hagemeist (6-0, 6-1) in the first round, Miami senior Joseph Dominguez – junior Dylan Mancha (6-0, 6-2) in the second round, and No. 4 Anthem Prep senior John Rodriguez – junior Ryan Anderson (6-3, 6-4) in the quarterfinals, before falling to Tam – Sevrain the semifinals.

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Carson Beals keeps his eyes on the ball as he follows through after a return during a recent outing. The Thatcher senior duo of Beals and Derrick Bierman reached the semifinals before exiting the state meet on April 30. The No. 4 Thatcher Eagles meet the No. 5 Anthem Prep Eagles for the quarterfinals in Thatcher on May 4. The teams met on March 1 with Anthem Prep posting an 8-1 home win.

Doubles Round One

First-round exits were made by No. 8 seeded Safford freshman Camden Montierth – sophomore Kody Gluyas, falling 8-10 (3-6, 6-1) in a tie-breaker to Arizona College Prep sophomores Ajwani – Yellaprag; Pima junior Leland Thompson – senior Owen Lunt, falling 1-6 twice to No. 3 Phoenix Veritas Prep juniors Ian Townsend – Jack Victor, Willcox seniors Hunter Childers – Spencer Allred, falling in two sets to Tucson Sabino senior Lance Markowski – sophomore J.P. Markowski, and Thatcher juniors Hunter Sellers – Austin Haynie, falling 3-6 and 0-6 to Scottsdale Prep juniors Surandran – Swenson.

*Raymundo Frasquillo File Photo/Gila Herald: Ryan McClaine meets the ball as he returns it back over the net. The Willcox senior exited the state meet during the first round on April 29.*

Boys Team Tourney

Quarterfinal pairings are No. 9 Phoenix Basis (8-4 seeding, 6.9584 rating) versus No. 1 Phoenix Country Day School (11-0, 19.1031) at Phoenix Tennis Center, No. 5 Anthem Prep (9-2, 10.5167) at No. 4 Thatcher (11-3, 12.0488), No. 11 Tucson Tanque Verde (8-4, 5.8551) vs. No. 3 Scottsdale Prep (10-2, 13.6578) at Phoenix Indian School Park, and No. 10 Saint David (12-2, 6.6711) at No. 2 Chandler Arizona College Prep (13-2, 15.9306) on May 4.

Raymundo Frasquillo File Photo/Gila Herald: Owen Lunt fallows the ball across the net during a recent match. The Pima senior teamed up with Leland Thompson for the state doubles tourney, exiting in the first round.

The semifinals (May 6) and final (May 7) are at the Glendale Paseo Racquet Center, 6268 West Thunderbird Road.

Girls Singles Championship

Top seed Scottsdale Prep sophomore Nandini Patel defeated No. 2 Phoenix Country Day School junior Milan Sewell 6-2 and 6-4 for the title on May 2.

Girls Doubles Championship

The No. 2 Chandler Prep junior Gaby Chu – sophomore Sonali Bhalia duo defeated the No. 1 Phoenix Country Day School senior Daniela Castro-Martinez and junior Julia Black duo 7-5 and 6-4 for the title on May 2.