Top senior in semis

Souh Fayette star seeks 3A crown

Jacob Patterson doesn’t want to see himself as the favorite in the PIAA Class 3A boys tennis singles tournament.

“I’m just honestly going out and playing because, if I were to think about rankings, I would likely start to overthink it,” the South Fayette senior said. “I just do my best just not thinking about anything and just playing.”

But like it or not, the twotime WPIAL champion, topranked senior in the state and Denison recruit is the player to beat.

On the first day of the tournament Friday at Hershey Racquet Club, Patterson rolled over Council Rock South junior Alex Sterin, 6-2, 6-2, then earned his spot in Saturday’s semifinals with a 6-1, 6-3, victory against District 12 champion and Presbyterian College recruit David Mamalat of Northeast, 6-1, 6-3, in the quarters.

To make it to the finals for the first time, Patterson will have to get past Conestoga junior Justin Xu, who has pulled off a couple of upsets to make it this far.

Xu was the No. 6 seed in the District 1 tournament and came in fifth to qualify for the state tournament.

“I haven’t ever played my opponent before, but he’s good,” Patterson said. “He hits the ball very hard, so it will be tough. But I know that, if I can play my game like I did [Friday] I can bring it [in the semis].”

Shady Side Academy’s doubles team of David Mnuskin and Sam Bitzer breezed through their two opening matches with straight sets wins District 1 third-place finishers Tevgen Kuryanov and Alex Knyazkovof Central Bucks East and District 12 champions Dwyer Barrett and Jordan Sztejman of St. Joe’s Prep. They are now set to play the District 3 champions, sophomore twins Tyler and Aidan Mahaffey of Palmyra.

North Catholic senior Nicolas Scheller is one win away from a return trip to the Class 2A finals and a rematch with Lancaster Country Day junior Nike Abadir. The No. 3 senior and Belmont Abbey recruit defeated Conrad Weiser freshman Armaan Malin, 6-0, 6-0, in his opener and freshman Deven Pandey of Saucon Valley, 6-1, 6-1, in the quarters.

Scheller will face Jonah Ng of Cathedral Prep.

Scheller will be joined in the semifinals by teammates Brody Golla and Alex Garvey, who are looking to become the first Trojans to play in a Class 2A state doubles final.

Golla and Garvey will take on District 10 champions Aravind Turaga and Nathan Kisiel of Fairview in the semifinals.