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WINTER HAVEN — History repeated itself on Tuesday when George Jenkins and Winter Haven finish tied at the Class 4A, District 6 boys tennis tournament to force a tiebreaker match like last year, but that’s where the rerun ended.
Winter Haven avenged last season’s tiebreaker loss by defeating defending champion Jenkins, 4-3, to capture the 4A-7 district title. Both team will advance to the regional tournament and could meet again in the region finals like last year.
“It's amazing,” Winter Haven’s Ben Saltman said.. “It's a great feeling. We really worked hard as a team. I knew we had a chance today because yesterday, both Layton (Kemp) and Everett (Whitehead) won against their team, which has good players. So I knew one of them could probably win again and then me and Wiley (Simpson) just had to do our job like we've been able to in the past.”
Tennis: Hutto's 3-peat leads McKeel girls to team title plus more districts results
George Jenkins returned players at all five singles positions, while Winter Haven returned three of five players. Saltman, who qualified for the state tournament with his No. 1 singles title, No. 3 Kemp and No. 4 CJ Chalwes returned for Winter Haven, and its newcomers at No. 2 and No. 5 made the Blue Devils a stronger team.
The big addition was at No. 2 singles. Simpson, the No. 1 player for General Classical last season, transferred after Geneva dropped boys tennis. Everett Whitehead, Lake Region’s No. 1 player last year, came over after Lake Region dropped boys tennis.
“Wiley is the third-best player in the county, hands down, after Ben and Nico (Kumria),” Winter Haven coach Pat Miller said.
That proved to be the difference.
As expected Saltman continued his dominance at No. 1 by defeating George Jenkins Nico Kumria, 8-4, in a hard-fought match. Saltman also defeated Kumria in the No. 1 singles final on Tuesday to qualify for the state tournament for the second year in a row.
Last year, Saltman’s win at No. 1 singles was the only Winter Haven win in the district tiebreaker match.
Simpson defeated Dylan Mitchell, 8-0, at No. 2 singles, and Whitehead defeated Luke Siyufy, 8-4, at No. 5. Those there wins gave the Blue Devils a 3-2 lead after the singles matches and needing to win just one of the two doubles matches.
George Jenkins won singles matches at No. 3 and No. 4. Logan Bright avenged his loss in the district finals by defeating Kemp, 8-4, and Brayden Mitchell defeated CJ Chalwe, 8-3.
The No. 2 doubles finished first with Bright and Brayden Mitchell defeating Kemp and Chalwe, 8-0, leaving the match tied.
The Blue Devils clinched the match when Saltman and Simpson defeated Kumria and Dylan Mitchell, 8-4. Saltman and Simpson have qualified the state tournament with their victory in the district finals on Tuesday. Last year, Saltman also played doubles at state with Colin Lopez. This will be Simpson’s first trip to the state tournament as Geneva didn’t play in the FHSAA postseason.
“It was really great opportunity to play at school that can go to state and districts and stuff like that, and Ben's a great partner and it's a great team,” Simpson said.
Both Winter Haven and George Jenkins will advance to the regional semifinals and will play on Tuesday.
The Auburndale boys tennis team had little trouble in its district tiebreaker as the Bloodhounds won four singles matches to defeat Lakeland, 4-0, to clinch the 3A-7 district championship.
Kyle Fox defeated Zachary Kossen 8-7 (7-5) at No. 1; Bayden defeated James Maskasm, 8-3, at No. 2; Angel Guilarte defeated Tanner Billich, 8-6, at No. 3, and Trevor Petterec defeated Liam Gillespie, 8-4, at No. 5.
At No. 2 singles, Auburndale’s Orrin Kitchen led Mathew Fuentes, 5-4, when the match was called.
Frostproof sisters Hannah Windham and Abigail Windham are headed to the state tournament after winning district titles at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles at the Class 1A, District 8 tournament on Tuesday.
Hannah, a sophomore, defeated All Saints’ Julianna Booker, 6-1, 6-0, in the No. 1 singles final to qualify for state tournament in singles. Abigail defeated Orlando First Academy's Arden Guffin, 6-4, 6-1, at No. 2 singles.
Abigail will join her sister at the state tournament as she and Hannah defeated First Academy’s Kylie Lindstrom and Nikki Grady, 6-0, 6-2.
This is the first trip to the state tournament for both players, and the first girls tennis players from Frostproof to qualify for the state tournament.
The sisters will play in the Class 1A individuals bracket, beginning April 28 at Sylvan Lake Park in Sanford.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Boys Tennis: Winter Haven avenges losses to George Jenkins to capture district title
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Winter Haven avenged last season’s tiebreaker loss by defeating defending champion Jenkins, 4-3, to capture the 4A-7 district title. Both team will advance to the regional tournament and could meet again in the region finals like last year.
“It's amazing,” Winter Haven’s Ben Saltman said.. “It's a great feeling. We really worked hard as a team. I knew we had a chance today because yesterday, both Layton (Kemp) and Everett (Whitehead) won against their team, which has good players. So I knew one of them could probably win again and then me and Wiley (Simpson) just had to do our job like we've been able to in the past.”
Tennis: Hutto's 3-peat leads McKeel girls to team title plus more districts results
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George Jenkins returned players at all five singles positions, while Winter Haven returned three of five players. Saltman, who qualified for the state tournament with his No. 1 singles title, No. 3 Kemp and No. 4 CJ Chalwes returned for Winter Haven, and its newcomers at No. 2 and No. 5 made the Blue Devils a stronger team.
The big addition was at No. 2 singles. Simpson, the No. 1 player for General Classical last season, transferred after Geneva dropped boys tennis. Everett Whitehead, Lake Region’s No. 1 player last year, came over after Lake Region dropped boys tennis.
“Wiley is the third-best player in the county, hands down, after Ben and Nico (Kumria),” Winter Haven coach Pat Miller said.
That proved to be the difference.
As expected Saltman continued his dominance at No. 1 by defeating George Jenkins Nico Kumria, 8-4, in a hard-fought match. Saltman also defeated Kumria in the No. 1 singles final on Tuesday to qualify for the state tournament for the second year in a row.
Last year, Saltman’s win at No. 1 singles was the only Winter Haven win in the district tiebreaker match.
Simpson defeated Dylan Mitchell, 8-0, at No. 2 singles, and Whitehead defeated Luke Siyufy, 8-4, at No. 5. Those there wins gave the Blue Devils a 3-2 lead after the singles matches and needing to win just one of the two doubles matches.
George Jenkins won singles matches at No. 3 and No. 4. Logan Bright avenged his loss in the district finals by defeating Kemp, 8-4, and Brayden Mitchell defeated CJ Chalwe, 8-3.
The No. 2 doubles finished first with Bright and Brayden Mitchell defeating Kemp and Chalwe, 8-0, leaving the match tied.
The Blue Devils clinched the match when Saltman and Simpson defeated Kumria and Dylan Mitchell, 8-4. Saltman and Simpson have qualified the state tournament with their victory in the district finals on Tuesday. Last year, Saltman also played doubles at state with Colin Lopez. This will be Simpson’s first trip to the state tournament as Geneva didn’t play in the FHSAA postseason.
“It was really great opportunity to play at school that can go to state and districts and stuff like that, and Ben's a great partner and it's a great team,” Simpson said.
Both Winter Haven and George Jenkins will advance to the regional semifinals and will play on Tuesday.
3A-7: Auburndale repeats as district champions
The Auburndale boys tennis team had little trouble in its district tiebreaker as the Bloodhounds won four singles matches to defeat Lakeland, 4-0, to clinch the 3A-7 district championship.
Kyle Fox defeated Zachary Kossen 8-7 (7-5) at No. 1; Bayden defeated James Maskasm, 8-3, at No. 2; Angel Guilarte defeated Tanner Billich, 8-6, at No. 3, and Trevor Petterec defeated Liam Gillespie, 8-4, at No. 5.
At No. 2 singles, Auburndale’s Orrin Kitchen led Mathew Fuentes, 5-4, when the match was called.
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1A-6: Windham sisters heading to state tournament
Frostproof sisters Hannah Windham and Abigail Windham are headed to the state tournament after winning district titles at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles at the Class 1A, District 8 tournament on Tuesday.
Hannah, a sophomore, defeated All Saints’ Julianna Booker, 6-1, 6-0, in the No. 1 singles final to qualify for state tournament in singles. Abigail defeated Orlando First Academy's Arden Guffin, 6-4, 6-1, at No. 2 singles.
Abigail will join her sister at the state tournament as she and Hannah defeated First Academy’s Kylie Lindstrom and Nikki Grady, 6-0, 6-2.
This is the first trip to the state tournament for both players, and the first girls tennis players from Frostproof to qualify for the state tournament.
The sisters will play in the Class 1A individuals bracket, beginning April 28 at Sylvan Lake Park in Sanford.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Boys Tennis: Winter Haven avenges losses to George Jenkins to capture district title
Continue reading...
