Andover nips Troy at OAA-Red tourney, Colts take overall crown
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
TROY — Bloomfield Hills Andover emerged as the top flight team Tuesday at the rugged OAA Red Division boys tennis championships, while Troy emerged from the eight-school field as the overall league champion.
Andover picked up 57 points in the nine flights to win the tournament title. Troy and North Farmington tied for second with 51 points apiece, followed by Rochester Adams (40), West Bloomfield (37), Birmingham Groves (32), Rochester Stoney Creek (27) and Birmingham Seaholm (24).
In ironic fashion, Andover was the only team to beat Troy in an OAA event this season. The Barons defeated the Colts on Sept.16 in a dual match, 5-4, but Andover went on to finish in a three-way tie for second place in the dual standings at 5-2. The tournament win was still not enough to push the Barons past Troy in the final standings, which combined the dual standings with the tournament standings.
JUST NOT ENOUGH: Rochester Stoney Creek's Nick Fiaschetti can't quite reach the ball as it bounces off his knee during No. 1 singles semifinal play at Tuesday's OAA Red Division championships. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt
Troy, 6-1 in duals, won the overall crown with 14.5 points, just a half point ahead of Andover’s 14 total points. North Farmington was third with 12 points, with Adams (11), West Bloomfield (8), Groves (6), Stoney Creek (4) and Seaholm (2) following suit.
A year ago, West Bloomfield’s Andrew Cahn upset Troy’s Brett Forman for the No. 1 singles crown, Foreman’s only loss of the season. With Foreman on the injured reserve list this season, Cahn again proved to be formidable in defending his crown.
In the finals, Cahn downed Adams’ Kristoff Saari, 6-1, 6-4, for West Bloomfield’s only flight win of the day.
Troy had three winners on the day, while Andover had two. Adams, Groves and Seaholm each had one flight champion.
Adams freshman Justin Hyman captured the No. 2 singles crown, defeating Kevin Rothstein of West Bloomfield, 3-6, 6-2, 6-5, with a 12-10 tiebreaker in the last set.
SWAT PATROL: Troy No.1 singles player Noah Rice prepares to swing with this forehand during semifinal play at Tuesday's OAA Red Division championships. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt
Andover’s Brandon Alexander (No. 3) and Jonah Yousif (No.4) also took home league championships. Alexander defeated North Farmington’s Griffin Mertz, 6-0, 6-2, while Yousif swept Troy’s Vinai Reddy, 6-0, 6-2, in the finals round.
RETURN TO SENDER: Rochester Adams' Kristoff Saari prepares for the backhand during No. 1 singles semifinal play at Tuesday's OAA Red Division championships. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt
Groves’ lone flight win came from the No. 1 doubles duo of Calvin Greer and Alex Allen, who swept to a 6-3, 6-1 decision over Troy’s Matt Kuntzman and Kento Mizusaki in the finals. Seaholm also had a champion despite finishing last in the score sheet, as Mikael Nefcy and Aaron Rosen posted a 7-5, 5-7, 7-6 (10-8 tiebreaker) over North Farmington’s Eric Miller and Eric Waldron.
Troy took home the No. 2, No.3 and No. 4 doubles flight titles.
The No. 2 duo of Mike Kuntzman and Saumil Shah swept Nate Krasnick and Alex Valente, 7-5, 6-1; Nick Fave and Mike Mendola posted a 7-5, 6-1 decision over Andover’s Cuthbert Sun and Dylon Deitch at No. 2 doubles; and at No. 3 doubles, it was the Shalin Shah and Pramod Mulabagula of Troy posting a 6-2, 6-1 victory over North Famrington’s Andrew Murtland and Rob Chapekis.
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Category: High School, High School (M-Z), Prep Wraps, Rochester Adams, Troy
