American Heritage, Spanish River, Pine Crest nab state titles

South Florida teams and their players from Broward and Palm Beach counties were dominant in the FHSAA state tennis tournaments this week.

St. Andrew’s swept the boys and girls Class 1A state team championships. Pine Crest’s boys won their first Class 2A state championship since 2012, while the Spanish River girls won their first Class 4A state title since 2006.

Natalie Block helped American Heritage of Plantation win the Class 2A girls state for the first time since 2018 as they topped McKeel 4-0.

It was the sixth state title for the Patriots girls, who were on the brink of elimination in the regional final, down a set and 5-3 at number two doubles. Freshman Jackie Daynovski filled in and teamed with sophomore Grace Odom-Montbrun rallying to win the final four games in the second set and then the tiebreaker.

“The girls showed a lot of heart,” said American Heritage coach Tobias Croke. “We were down and out. Anytime you win a state championship, it is huge. It was a great run for us.”

St. Andrew’s won the boys’ state title 4-0 over St. Stephens at Red Bug Lake Park, while the girls captured the state title 6-0 over Community School.

Scots’ senior Jacob Lowen and junior Andres Fente also won the overall doubles championship with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Calvary Christian’s James Germinal/Chris Bogelin.

Sara Snyder, a Furman University signee, said the win was special for her because it was her third state championship with the team.

“Since I am a senior, it means so much more,” Snyder said. “We have an amazing team. From top to bottom of the lineup, we have something that other teams don’t have. When we won both doubles, we put a lot of pressure on the other teams.”

Snyder also captured the overall singles championship with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Clearwater Central Catholic’s Emma Fernald and later teamed with sophomore Madison Smith to capture the overall doubles with a 2-6, 6-1, 10-6 victory over Julieta Menendez and Jimana Menendez of Miami Carrollton. It was Snyder’s fourth overall state championship.

St. Andrew’s previously won boys state titles in 2019, 2012 and 1990. The girls won their eighth title and fourth since 2016, including third in a row. There was no state competition last year due to COVID.

“We have a good squad of kids and they compete hard from the top of the lineup to the bottom of the lineup,” said St. Andrew’s coach Reid Rafter, who coaches both teams along with Beth Gordon.

Pine Crest topped Satellite 4-1 for the title as senior Jamie Corsillo won No. 1 singles with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Max Lindstrom and later teamed with senior Andrew Pereverzev to win the No. 1 doubles with a 6-1, 7-6(1) victory over Lindstrom and Amadeus Charlez-Alcock.

Corsillo, who is headed to Notre Dame, then topped sophomore George Kosseifi (American Heritage-Delray) for the overall singles championship, 6-0, 6-4. Corsillo and Pereverzev (FAU) lost in the overall doubles final to the Jensen Beach duo of Gabriel Escobar and Nicolas Galligan (Jensen Beach),7-6 (4); 0-6; 11-9.

Spanish River downed Miami Palmetto 4-0 for their girls’ championship, giving the first-year coach John Jones his first state title. He took over this year when Beth Miller retired.

The Sharks jumped out to a 2-0 lead over Miami Palmetto in winning both doubles matches as freshman Emma Roeck and junior Maya Shanok downed Nathalie van der Reis and Jett Coetzee, 6-4, 6-1 at number one doubles and then got a key win from senior Katie Heller and sophomore Alina Kargin-Utkin, 3-6, 6-3, 10-8 in a tiebreaker at number two doubles.

“Winning the state title was an awesome experience and I’m so happy I had such a great team by my side,” Roeck said. “All the girls worked so hard and fought till the end of every match. This would not have been possible if it wasn’t for the effort we all gave.

Shanok, whose brother Nate won a state title at the school in 2011, said winning the state championship has motivated her individually as a person.

“I want to keep working at achieving my dream of playing for a D1 college because I now see how much I love playing with a team,” she said.

Douglas sophomore Cadence Brace won the Class 4A girls overall singles state title by default over Gainesville Buchholz junior Cade Cricchio at Sanlando Park. Brace found out shortly before her match that Cricchio was unable to go because of a heel injury she suffered the day before in her match.

Brace then teamed with senior Amanda Aponte to win the overall doubles title when they defeated Bradenton Lakewood Ranch’s Devan Perry and Libby Siegal, 6-2, 6-3 for the overall doubles title.

Pine Crest eighth-grader Akasha Urhobo won the 2A girl’s overall singles crown, besting American Heritage sophomore Natalie Block, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5).

Block and Patriots teammate Sangee Prieto finished as 2A girls overall doubles runners-up after University School junior Ava Grnja and senior Daniela Porges took the final 7-5, 6-1.

St. Thomas Aquinas juniors Mia Gonzalgo and Bella Tirico lost in the overall Class 3A state doubles final to Doral’s Valeria Ray and Patricia Palencia, 6-1, 6-2.