Conestoga senior reaches district tennis semifinals

Conestoga's Juan Escobar picked up his most impressive win to date in a battle of district champions at the PIAA Class AAA boys' singles tennis championships on Friday.

At the Hershey Racquet Club, Escobar, the District 1 champion, downed four-time Pittsburgh City League champion Max Schermin of Taylor Allerdice, 6-2, 6-4, in a quarterfinal match. Schermin is the District 8 champion.

Escobar, a senior exchange student from Ecuador, will face WPIAL (District 7) champion Chris Mengel at 11 a.m. Saturday in a semifinal match.

Mengel eliminated Unionville sophomore Michael Furr, 6-0, 6-1, in the first round before beating District 11 champion Eric Perez, 6-1, 6-0, in a quarterfinal match.

Council Rock South's David Kazakevich beat the District 3 champion, Lampeter-Strasburg's Jody Sambrick, 6-2, 6-4, in the first round before being eliminated by Erie McDowell's Landen Williams in a three-set quarterfinal.

In doubles, the Council Rock South team of Dylan Kady and Norman Patton reached the semifinals by beating teams from Cedar Crest and Taylor Allerdice.

Wissahickon's Prince brothers, Andres and Ricardo, beat a team from Manheim Township, 6-1, 6-2, in the first round before running into State College's District 6 champion pair of Chris Borden and Blake Gregory and falling, 6-1, 6-1.

"We ran into a buzzsaw," Wissahickon coach Mark Daniels said. "The State College team was really good."

In Class AA, Lower Moreland's Drew Hoffmann reached the semifinals.

The Phoenixville doubles team of Steve Tassone and Mike Potts won their first-round match before falling in the quarterfinals, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2.

"It was great doubles, all the way through," Phoenixville coach Leo Scoda said.

The results

Matches involving players from Districts 1 and 12.

Class AAA first round: Juan Escobar, Conestoga, def. Sebastian Tovi, Manheim Township, 6-2, 6-0; Chris Mengel, Shady Side Academy, def. Michael Furr, Unionville, 6-0, 6-1; Ethan Kallic, Upper St. Clair, def. Christian Lutschaunig, La Salle, 6-1, 6-2; Adam Salam, Strath Haven, def. Josh Palmer, Abington Heights, 6-3, 7-5; David Kazakevich, Council Rock North, def. Jody Sambrick, Lampeter-Strasburg, 6-2, 6-4.

Class AAA quarterfinals: Juan Escobar, Conestoga, def. Max Schmerin, Taylor Allerdice, 6-2, 6-4; Chris Mengel, Shady Side, def. Eric Perez, Southern Lehigh, 6-1, 6-0; Ethan Kallick, Upper St. Clair, def. Adam Salam, Strath Haven, 6-3, 6-2; Landen Williams McDowell, def. David Kazakevich, Council Rock North, 7-5, 6-7 (5-7), 6-0.

Class AA first round: Drew Hoffman, Lower Moreland, def. Dakota Deem, Muncy, 6-0, 6-2; Sam Rudovsky, Masterman, def. Jared Salyards, Central-Erie, 6-1, 6-1.

Class AA quarterfinals: Drew Hoffman, Lower Moreland, def. Richard Petrella, Fairview, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3; Ricardo Saad, Wyomissing, def. Sam Rudovsky, Masterman, 6-3, 6-1.

PIAA STATE DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIPS

Class AAA first round: Dylan Kady and Norman Patton, Council Rock South, def. Weston Fortna and Steven Kurban, Cedar Crest, 6-2, 6-3; Shankar Rajupet and Brad Portnoy, Fox Chapel, def. Tyler Pultro and Jon Topping, Central Bucks West, 6-2, 6-4; Matt Slamecka and Will Nesbitt, Butler, def. James Ayer and Gabe Steerman, Central, 6-1, 6-2; Gavin Studner and Ryan Devine, Radnor, def. Michael Tobiasez and Kenan Rajjoub, Williamsport, 6-2, 6-1; Ricardo Prince and Andres Prince, Wissahickon, def. Jack Barry and Jimmy Moshos, Manheim Township, 6-1, 6-2.

Class AAA quarterfinals: Kady and Patton, Council Rock South, def. Eric Johnson and Nick Vidic, Taylor Allerdice, 6-0, 6-1; Slamecka and Nesbitt, Butler, def. Studner and Devine, Radnor, 6-2, 6-0; Chris Borden and Blake Gregory, State College, def. Ricardo Prince and Andres Prince, Wissahickon, 6-1, 6-1.

Class AA first round: Steve Tassone and Mike Potts, Phoenixville, def. Alex Makos and Kevin Maloney, Mansfield, 6-1, 7-5; Ben Mayer and Nelson Gosnell, Johnstown, def. Sergio Muniz and Joel Fagliano, Masterman, 6-1, 6-2.

Class AA quarterfinals: Thomas Shuttleworth and Jonathan Knoll, Fairview, def. Steve Tassone and Mike Potts, Phoenixville, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2.