By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor

Does it get any better than this?
After capturing the District One-AAA championship and a state runnerup trophy in team play, three tennis players from the Council Rock North boys tennis team captured individual medals on Saturday, May 23 at Hershey Racquet Club.
North junior David Kazakevich, the Rock’s No 1 singles player all season long, captured the top prize for the Indians when he took the bronze medal after defeating Upper St. Clair senior Jay Jones in singles consolations.
North seniors Luv Sodha and Joe Peters also captured a fourth place medal in the doubles tournament after winning their first two matches in straight sets.
Sodha and Peters didn’t fare as well as Kazakevich in consolations, falling to Fox Chapel sophomore Shankar Rajaput and junior Brad Portnoy. The pair did manage to take their opponents to a third set when they won the second set, 7-6 (6).
Like he has all season long, Kazakevich led the Rock’s effort at states, opening the singles tourney by disposing of District 4 champion Mateus Camasmie, a senior from Williamsport, in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4.
In a state quarterfinal matchup, David defeated District 7 runnerup Matt Slamecka, a junior from Butler High, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2.
Kazakevich stumbled against District 10 champion Landon Williams, a junior from McDowell, 7-6 (6), 7-5 but he rebounded well in a battle for third place when he outpaced Jones, who was the District 7 champion, 7-5, 7-5.
Meanwhile, in the doubles tourney, Sodha and Peters easily disposed of Abington Heights sophomore Josh Palmer and freshman Nathan Engh--champions from District 2--in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1. The duo then defeated Philly Public League champions Gabe Steerman and James Ayer, a pair of juniors from Central High, 6-3, 6-1.
Sodha and Peters’ first stumble came in the state semifinal matchup against State College juniors Anurag Kumar and Chris Borden--District 6 champions--before falling in consolations.
As a team this season, Rock did what no other North team did before it, capture a district title in boys tennis. The Indians posted its incredible triumph May 11 at Perkiomen Valley, outpacing perennial powerhouse Lower Merion, 3-2.
Again, the win there hinged on Kazakevich’s success.
No. 1 doubles players Hugo Sanchez and Greg Wasserman along with No. 2 team Dan Snyder and Drew Newman had already won in straight sets. But Matt Savin and Robbie Kay posted wins in straight sets at No. 2 and 3 singles respectively for the Aces.
With the score tied at two wins apiece, Kazakevich pulled off a stunning upset of Coby Kramer-Golinkoff to give the Indians a 3-2 victory.
Kazakevich had faced Kramer-Golinkoff five times before and lost four of the matches. Dave won the first set on a tiebreaker but Kramer-Golinkoff came back and won the second set.
In the rubber match, the Rock senior broke his opponent’s serve to go up 2-1 then went ahead 3-2 before reeling off the next three points for a 6-2 victory and Rock’s first D-I title in the sport since 1995. *
In states, the Indians defeated Erie McDowell, 3-2 in the quarterfinals and Radnor, 3-1 in the semis before falling to North Allegheny in the state championship match, 3-2.
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* Council Rock High won the district title in ’95 but that was before the district built CR South, which opened in 2002.

LineScores
SINGLES
David Kazakevich - CR North junior
Def. Williamsport senior Mateus Camasmie, 6-2, 6-4
Def. Butler junior Matt Slamecka, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2
lost to McDowell junior Landon Williams 7-6 (6), 7-5
Def. Upper St. Clair senior Jay Jones, 7-5, 7-5

DOUBLES
Luv Sodha/ Joe Peters - CR North seniors
Def. Josh Palmer/ Nathan Engh - Abington Heights, 6-1, 6-1
Def. Gabe Steerman/ James Ayer - Central, 6-3, 6-1
lost to Anurag Kumar/ Chris Borden - State College, 6-1, 7-6 (7)
lost to Shankar Rajaput / Brad Portnoy - Fox Chapel, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-2

Labels: boys tennis, CR North

Hopewell Valley Central senior Nick Maida, the No. 1 singles tennis player for the Bulldogs, was recently named Scholar-Athlete for the currrent school year. As the HoVal recipient, Nick was invited to attend the 16th Annual Scholar-Athlete Luncheon May 17 at Pine Manor in Edison. One senior from each high school in New Jersey was honored at the banquet.
This year is the 90th Anniversary Year of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA). Welcoming remarks were made by NJSIAA executive director, Steven Timko, who served as supervisor of health, physical education and athletics of the Hopewell Valley Regional School District for 25 years before his tenure at NJSIAA. Timko served as the assistant director of the organization for five years before being named executive director in January 2006.
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Pictured at the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association banquet are NJSIAA Executive Director Steven Timko (left) and Hopewell Valley Central senior Nick Maida, this year's NJSIAA Scholar Athlete at HVCHS.

Labels: boys tennis, Hopewell Valley

By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor

This season, Council Rock North did what no other North team did before it, capture a district title in boys tennis. The Rock posted its incredible triumph May 11 at Perkiomen Valley, outpacing perennial powerhouse Lower Merion, 3-2.
The Indians owe much of their district championship success to David Kazakevich, their No. 1 singles player.
No. 1 doubles players Hugo Sanchez and Greg Wasserman along with No. 2 team Dan Snyder and Drew Newman had already won in straight sets. But Matt Savin and Robbie Kay posted wins in straight sets at No. 2 and 3 singles respectively for the Aces.
With the score tied at two wins apiece, Kazakevich pulled off a stunning upset of Coby Kramer-Golinkoff to give the Indians a 3-2 victory.
Kazakevich had faced Kramer-Golinkoff five times before and lost four of the matches.
Kazakevich won the first set on a tiebreaker but Kramer-Golinkoff came back and won the second set, 6-3, bringing the district title down to a single set.
The Rock senior broke his opponent’s serve to go up 2-1 then went ahead 3-2 before reeling off the next three points for a 6-2 victory and Rock’s first D-I title in the sport since 1995.
In states, the Indians defeated Erie McDowell, 3-2 in the quarterfinals and Radnor, 3-1 in the semis before falling to North Allegheny in the state championship match, 3-2.
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LINESCORES

CR North 3, Lower Merion 2
(May 11 at Perkiomen Valley)
Singles: 1. David Kazakevich (CRN) defeats Coby Kramer-Golinkoff, 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 6-2; 2. Matt Savan (LM) defeats Luv Sodha, 6-4, 6-2; 3. Robby Kay (LM) def. Joe Peters, 6-1, 6-1.
Doubles: 1. Hugo Sanchez and Greg Wasserman (CRN) defeat Brian Maslin and Ben Leavitt, 7-5, 6-4; 2. Dan Snyder and Drew Newman (CRN) defeat Kyle Perry and Ben Satalif, 6-3, 6-1.

Labels: boys tennis, CR North