The 2015 DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships Boys A Division Champion, Wiregrass Ranch, successfully retained their Class 3A state title at the 2015 Florida High School Tennis State Championships. The Bulls were in scintillating form throughout the event, taking home four of a possible five titles, and securing the team championship with doubles still to play. As the dust settled over the action-packed courts, Wiregrass Ranch showed remarkable consistency and dominance to finish with 16 points, double that of the runners-up Tallahassee Leon and Jenson Beach.
While the victory seemed never in doubt, the path to glory was far from easy. The atmosphere within the team was relaxed, but everyone was 100% focused on the upcoming battles. The Bulls played with flair and enthusiasm, high-fiving the winners and laughing off the unforced errors. Confidence was sky-high and the competitive arrogance displayed by each player pushed the Bulls to their second straight state title. 2015 DecoTurf Championships MVP, junior Agie Moreno, had to overcome a tricky jet lag on Monday, after arriving late Saturday following an international tournament in California. The Bulls' young star struggled against Jensen Beach’s Colter Decoste in the semi-final, but emerged victorious 6-1, 4-6, 6-2. Moreno rolled to the No. 1 Singles title with a 6-4, 6-1 over Gulf Coast's William Shisler in the finals. No. 3 singles player Alexandro Feliciano claimed a pair of comfortable victories before pushing past Leon's Drew Brown 6-7(2); 6-3; 6-2 in the finals.
Wiregrass Ranch coach Dave Wilson made a bold decision pairing brothers Daniel and Agie Moreno at the No. 1 doubles position for the first time. The change proved to be successful as skillful brothers swept aside their opening round opponents 6-2 6-0. In the end, the doubles overall title evaded Wiregrass Ranch as they fell to Gulf Coast's Jagodzinski/Shisler 6-4, 6-2 in the semi-finals. Wiregrass Ranch's doubles duo of Alejandro Feliciano & Foresight Okungbowa claimed the No. 2 doubles title without dropping a set.
While the victory seemed never in doubt, the path to glory was far from easy. The atmosphere within the team was relaxed, but everyone was 100% focused on the upcoming battles. The Bulls played with flair and enthusiasm, high-fiving the winners and laughing off the unforced errors. Confidence was sky-high and the competitive arrogance displayed by each player pushed the Bulls to their second straight state title. 2015 DecoTurf Championships MVP, junior Agie Moreno, had to overcome a tricky jet lag on Monday, after arriving late Saturday following an international tournament in California. The Bulls' young star struggled against Jensen Beach’s Colter Decoste in the semi-final, but emerged victorious 6-1, 4-6, 6-2. Moreno rolled to the No. 1 Singles title with a 6-4, 6-1 over Gulf Coast's William Shisler in the finals. No. 3 singles player Alexandro Feliciano claimed a pair of comfortable victories before pushing past Leon's Drew Brown 6-7(2); 6-3; 6-2 in the finals.
Wiregrass Ranch coach Dave Wilson made a bold decision pairing brothers Daniel and Agie Moreno at the No. 1 doubles position for the first time. The change proved to be successful as skillful brothers swept aside their opening round opponents 6-2 6-0. In the end, the doubles overall title evaded Wiregrass Ranch as they fell to Gulf Coast's Jagodzinski/Shisler 6-4, 6-2 in the semi-finals. Wiregrass Ranch's doubles duo of Alejandro Feliciano & Foresight Okungbowa claimed the No. 2 doubles title without dropping a set.
The highlight of the championships was Agie Moreno’s second Florida Class 3A State Champion title in as many years. However, the triumph left a bitter-sweet taste to the newly crowned champion as his opponent, Justin Hall, withdrew from the Overall Singles Final final due to injury.
“It feels great to win it for the school (only the second state team title in school history),” confessed Moreno. “I started out a little foggy, a little jet-lagged, and then I had to adjust a little to the (faster) courts. But it all worked out.”
Dave Wilson, the mastermind behind this year’s success admitted that his team’s participation in the championships was in doubt. The Bulls had to progress through the regionals without their best two players, who were competing in California.
“It was doubtful we would even get here,” a visibly delighted Wilson said of his squad’s 4-2 and 4-3 regional victories. “All of our guys came through.”
Defending a title is always more difficult than winning it for the first time. Consistency has always been the mark of the champions. Wiregrass Ranch has a few diamonds in the rough in it ranks who could potentially go on and grace the biggest tennis courts in the world. Forging a winning attitude and habits from the early age will make the difference in the future battles.
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