Tired of ads? Subscribers enjoy a distraction-free reading experience.
Click here to subscribe today or Login.

WILKES-BARRE – Over the last decade, the best rivalry in boys tennis in District 2 has been Wyoming Seminary and Scranton Prep whether being in team, singles or doubles competition.

On Tuesday, the two squads met for the ninth straight time in the finals of the District 2 Class 2A Team Championship.

So when Sem’s No. 1 doubles team of Michael Kim and Will Ziegler celebrated and embraced after a hard-fought victory, they knew they were a big factor in the Blue Knights’ 3-1 win in the heated rivalry that gave Sem its first D2 team title since 2012.

“It’s pretty tense,” Kim said when asked about the rivalry. “A few of the kids on our team live up by them so we know a lot of the kids on their team, they know us. It’s a big rivalry. And this is the only time we play them. We never play them in exhibition. So it’s always a huge match.”

With the win, the Blue Knights advance to the first round of the PIAA Championships on May 16 against the District 3 third-place team tentatively scheduled to take place at Kirby Park at a time to be announced. The last time Seminary claimed the team title in 2012, it advanced to the state final and finished second.

After advancing to the final by topping Holy Cross 3-0, No. 1 seed Seminary appeared to take control early in the final against Prep. The Blue Knights won the first set in all but one match and only lost a total of five games to Prep in those sets.

But the Cavaliers weren’t going away easily. They put up a fight in the second set of all those matches, leading in all of them early and making nerves run a little high.

“On paper, you look at everyone’s scores and we were slated to win, and that actually put a little more pressure on me,” Sem coach Allison Joanlanne said.

The jitters turned into excitement slowly.

The No. 2 doubles team of Andrew Kim and Duncan Lumia was the first to wrap up a win for Sem, claiming a 6-0, 6-1 victory.

A few minutes later, Andrew Schukraft, the No. 2 singles player for the Blue Knights, claimed a 6-1, 6-2 win to put the team one win away from claiming the title.

Just as Schukraft was walking off with a win so was Prep’s No. 1 Tarquin McGurrin, besting Eamon Gibbons, 6-2, 6-1.

The No. 3 singles between Sem’s Jerry Tang and Prep’s Rhys Kelley was soon knotted at one set each after Kelley’s second-set win.

Meanwhile, the team of Kim and Ziegler were down early to the pair of Nick Labelle and Erik Rinkunas 2-1. But they didn’t panic and won the match and secured the team title just a few minutes later.

“Until they won that last point (there were nerves),” Joanlanne added. “And I was like ‘They won?’ because I needed reassurance that they actually did win.”

The win marked the first district title for the Sem seniors, who have been in the final for four straight years and finally grabbed the championship.

“I think I speak for all the seniors when I say we wanted this really bad,” Kim said. “Every year, we always got to the finals and couldn’t quite seem to beat Prep. We were always one step short. But this year was the year. ”

A district title is also special for Joanlanne, who is in her fourth season coaching and picked up her first gold medal while also coaching the girls team in the fall.

“It’s really special. I’m really proud of them. They’re a great group,” Joanlanne said. “It’s always nice to be on the other end of (losing). It’s never nice to lose. We’ve been losing for four years straight.”

In Class 3A, Crestwood participated in the semis against Williamsport, falling 3-0. All the matches were close with two sets being decided via tiebreaker.

Top-seeded Abington Heights went on to win its fifth straight district title and its ninth in the last 10 years ,defeating Williamsport 3-1 in the championship.

District 2 Team Tennis

Class 2A

Finals

Wyo. Seminary 3, Scranton Prep 1

Singles: 1. Tarquin McGurrin (SP) d. Eamon Gibbons 6-2, 6-1; 2. Andrew Schukraft (Sem) d. Jack Habeeb 6-1, 6-2; 3. Jerry Tang (Sem) vs. Rhys Kelley 6-2, 4-6

Doubles: 1. Michael Kim/Will Ziegler (Sem) d. Nick Labelle/Erik Rinkunas 6-2, 6-3; 2. Andrew Kim/Duncan Lumia (Sem) d. Harrison Oven/Brendan Braatz 6-0, 6-1

Semifinals

Wyo. Seminary 3, Holy Cross 0

Singles: 1. Eamon Gibbons (Sem) d. Jim Tressler 6-2, 6-2; 2. Andrew Schukraft (Sem) d. Logan Gregory 6-1, 6-0; 3. Jerry Tang (Sem) d. Shinzi Mazuda 6-0, 6-1

Doubles: 1. Michael Kim/Will Ziegler (Sem) vs. Bailey Simrell/Camus Howie 6-3, 3-0; 2. Andrew Kim/Duncan Lumia (Sem) vs. Curry Chang/Jordan Keiley 7-5, 3-1

Scranton Prep 3, Holy Redeemer 1

Singles: 1. Tarquin McGurrin (SP) d. Chris Kocon 6-0, 6-2; 2. Jack Habeeb (SP) d. Russell Kutish 6-0, 6-2; 3. Rhys Kelley (SP) vs. Zach Patterson 6-3, 3-4

Doubles: 1. Nick Labelle/Erik Rinkunas (SP) d. Dominic Marchese/Mark Harrison 6-2, 6-4; 2. Mike Lyons/Marc Kolendowicz (HR) d. Harrison Oven/Brendan Braatz 6-2, 6-0

Class 3A

Semifinals

Abington Heights 3, Delaware Valley 0

Singles: 1. Bailey Harris (AH) d. Tomas Reese 6-4, 6-1; 2. Timmy Christman (AH) d. Ivan Varobyev 6-1, 6-2; 3. Brian Ostrowski (AH) d. Joe Noreika 6-1, 6-1

Doubles: 1. Arjun Iyengar/Owen Holland (AH) vs. Troy Tepedino/Chris Vobert 6-4, 1-4; 2. Rory Harris/Varun Iyengar (AH) vs. Abhay Byadgi/Matt Lombardo 5-7, 0-3

Williamsport 3, Crestwood 0

Singles: 1. Kevin Zheng (Will) d. Brandon Krupa 6-4, 6-3; 2. Nick Andrews (Cre) vs. Lukas Radulski 6-3, 4-4; 3. Ty Jackson (Will) vs. Sachin Patel 7-6 (7-5)

Doubles: 1. Tiarnan Ferry/Michael LeBlanc (Will) d. Zach Anderson/Sam Madjic 6-2, 6-4; 2. Joe Dinsmore/Will Knauth (Will) d. Noah Kulp/Scott Mangan 6-3, 7-6 (7-5)

Wyoming Seminary’s No. 1 singles player Eamon Gibbons hits a backhand against Jim Tressler of Holy Cross.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_Sem-Holy-Cross-No.-1.jpg.optimal.jpgWyoming Seminary’s No. 1 singles player Eamon Gibbons hits a backhand against Jim Tressler of Holy Cross. Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

Wyoming Seminary’s No. 2 singles player Andrew Schukraft returns a serve against Holy Cross during the semifinals of the District 2 Class 2A Boys Tennis Team Championships at Kriby Park on Tuesday.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_Sem-Holy-Cross-No.-2.jpg.optimal.jpgWyoming Seminary’s No. 2 singles player Andrew Schukraft returns a serve against Holy Cross during the semifinals of the District 2 Class 2A Boys Tennis Team Championships at Kriby Park on Tuesday. Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

Holy Redeemer’s Russell Kutish returns a serve during his No. 2 singles match in the semifinals against Scranton Prep.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_Holy-Redeemer-Prep-2.jpg.optimal.jpgHoly Redeemer’s Russell Kutish returns a serve during his No. 2 singles match in the semifinals against Scranton Prep. Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

Wyoming Seminary’s No. 1 singles player Eamon Gibbons hits a backhand against Jim Tressler of Holy Cross. Holy Redeemer’s No. 1 singles player Chris Kocon hits a forehand against Scranton Prep.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_Holy-Redeemer-Prep-No.1.jpg.optimal.jpgWyoming Seminary’s No. 1 singles player Eamon Gibbons hits a backhand against Jim Tressler of Holy Cross. Holy Redeemer’s No. 1 singles player Chris Kocon hits a forehand against Scranton Prep. Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Blue Knights finally solve Scranton Prep

By Dave Rosengrant

For Times Leader

Reach Times Leader sports at 570-829-7143 or on Twitter @TLSports