Rockhurst Unbeaten for Second Straight Missouri Class AA State Championship

Rockhurst, the 6th place finisher at the 2014 DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships, recently claimed their second straight Missouri Class AA State Championship. The Eagles lost a total of just 10 games in the five match run for the state title. The championship was the state record 17th state team title for Rockhurst. 

“A lot of other people put high expectations on this team. We knew that everyone would be gunning for us. But they kept their focus all season and we played great tennis here. We played some of our best tennis on the biggest day of the year,” Rockhurst coach Zach Frisch said. The Hawklets got wins from Jack Evans, Joe O'Connor, Patrick Michaelis and Jacob Moore before St. Louis signee John Nogalski Jr clinched the state title with a 6-2, 6-1 victory. Nogalski said “It was great to be the final and clinching match. I did not stall but it was so cool that everyone came over to me court and celebrated.” Creighton signee Alex Koca, Rockhurst's No. 1 singles player, had his match suspended once the team match was clinched.

“I knew that the expectations were high since we had everyone returning from the championship team this year. They came after us but we responded well. We were on the courts two and a half hours every day in preparation for this season. We worked hard and this was the reward. It was great to close out our high school career with another championship.” senior Alex Koca said.

Rockhurst wasn't content with just a team title though as the Hawklets went on to claim both the singles and doubles state title as well. Senior Alex Koca, who had to withdraw from the 2013 singles championships to have his appendix removed, battled his way to a 6-4, 6-3 victory over previously unbeaten Micah Klousia of Glendale. Rockhurst had a pair of teams battle for the doubles state championship as juniors Joe O’Connor and Jack Evans saved a pair of championship points in a third-set tie-breaker and defeated teammates and defending champions John Nogalski and Jacob Moore 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-6).

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/high-school/other-missouri-prep-sports/article443686/Rockhurst%E2%80%99s-Alex-Koca-wins-Class-2-tennis-championship.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/high-school/other-missouri-prep-sports/article434844/Rockhurst-tennis-team-dominates-Class-2-seizes-state-title.html#storylink=cpy

HINSDALE CENTRAL DOMINATES TO WIN SECOND STRAIGHT TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP

With one of the strongest fields in DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships history the Hinsdale Central Red Devils clinched their second straight Boys A Division Championship in dominant fashion. The two-time tournament champion outscored their opponents 33-3 in 2014 proving to be even more dominant than their 31-5 record in route to their first tournament title last year. 

After a rain delay pushed the start of the tournament back 3 hours of Friday the tournament produced one of the most competitive opening rounds of play in recent memory. The first round had only two shutouts with eventual Champion Hinsdale Central shutting out Jenks and Spartanburg blanked Edwardsville. The 2011 & 2013 tournament champion New Trier had to win four of their six singles matches to narrowly advance past RJ Reynolds in the most competitive first round match up. Barron Collier, MICDS Rockhurst and Winter Park also to the quarterfinals with opening round wins. 

The quarterfinals produced a pair of phenomenal matches as Saint Xavier defeated New Trier 5-4, in a battle of two of the tournaments past three team champions, and Winter Park slipped past Spartanburg 5-4 to advance to the semi-finals. Hindale Central and Barron Collier rolled past their opponents to set up a rematch of the 2013 tournament championship.

In the semi-finals Saint Xavier and Winter Park were knotted at 3-3 after splitting the six singles matches. Saint Xavier took control of the match quickly winning all three doubles points to advance to the championship for the first time since their title in 2010. Hinsdale Central clinched their spot in the finals with a dominant 8-1 victory of back-to-back tournament finalist Barron Collier. 

Despite rainy condititions that pushed all final round matches indoors most matches produced some very competitive results. Cardinal Gibbons finished the tournament 2-2 after a 7-2 victory over Wiregrass Ranch for 13th Place. Webb School of Knoxville clinched an 11th place finish, their best finished in tournament history, after Edwardsville defaulted their final match. RJ Reynolds finished the tournament in 9th Place as the Consolation Winner after defeating Baylor by a narrow margin of 5-4. Spartanburg claimed 7th Place over MICDS with a 6-1 victory. New Trier needed only 5 singles matches to finish to clinch a 5th Place finish over Rockhurst. In a battle of Florida schools Barron Collier won all three doubles points and claimed 3rd Place with a 7-2 victory over Winter Park.

The tournament championship started off in favor of defending champion Hinsdale Central with Michael Lorenzini & Martin Joyce and Eddie Grabill & Chase Hamilton claiming wins at the top two doubles positions. Saint Xavier got their lone point of the match from Matt Graft & Nick Waldeck at No. 3 Doubles. Hinsdale Central went on to win all six singles positions and claim their second straight championship. The Red Devils top two players Martin Joyce and Michael Lorenzini were named Co-Most Valuable Players after their undefeated record in tournament play.

5TH PLACE [BOYS A DIVISION] -- NEW TRIER 5, ROCKHURST 0

NEW TRIER 5, ROCKHURST 0

Saturday, March 29, 2014 | 6:00pm
Tennis Club at Springhurst

SINGLES

1. Alex Galoustian (NT) def. Alex Koca 8-3
2. Did Not Finish
3. Tom Bickel (NT) def. Joe O'Connor 8-3
4. Corey Schwartz (NT) deff. Jack Evans 8-5
5. Wyatt Mayers (NT) def. Jacob Moore 8-4
6. Thomas Hanley (NT) def. Joe Ibarra 8-6

DOUBLES
    Did Not Play

THIRD ROUND [BOYS A DIVISION] -- ROCKHURST 7, MICDS 2

ROCKHURST 7, MICDS 2

Friday, March 28, 2014 | 10:00pm
Tennis Club at Springhurst

SINGLES

1. Tyler Raclin (M) def. Alex Koca 8-5
2. John Nogalski (R) def. Joe McAllister 8-3
3. Joe O'Connor (R) def. Geoffrey Raclin 8-4
4. Jack Evans (R) def. Rex Serituk 9-7
5. Rohit Chouhan (M) def. Jacob Moore 8-5
6. Joe Ibarra (R) def. Clay Campbell 8-6

DOUBLES

1. John Nogalski & Jacob Moore (R) def. Tyler Raclin & Joe McAllister 8-6
2. Alex Koca & Joe Ibarra (R) def. Geoffrey Raclin & Rex Serituk 8-5
3. Jack Evans & Joe O'Connor (R) def. Rohit Chouhan & Constantine Veronikis 8-4

SECOND ROUND [BOYS A DIVISION] -- HINSDALE CENTRAL 8, ROCKHURST 1

HINSDALE CENTRAL 8, ROCKHURST 1

Friday, March 28, 2014 | 4:00pm
E.P. Sawyer State Park

SINGLES

1. Michael Lorenzini (HC) def. Alex Koca 8-3
2. Martin Joyce (HC) def. John Nogalski 8-1
3. Eddie Grabill (HC) def. Jack Evans 8-0
4. Joe O'Connor (R) def. Lope Adelakun 8-4
5. Chase Hamilton (HC) def. Jacob Moore 8-3
6. Jimmy Bruning (HC) def. Patrick Michaelis 8-3

DOUBLES

1. Michael Lorenzini & Martin Joyce (HC) def. Jacob Moore & John Nogalski 8-6
2. Chase Hamilton & Eddie Grabill (HC) def. Joe Ibarra & Alex Koca 8-5
3. Lope Adelakun & Michael Czlonka (HC) def. Jack Evans & Joe O'Connor 8-4

FIRST ROUND [BOYS A DIVISION] -- ROCKHURST 6, BAYLOR 3

ROCKHURST 6, BAYLOR 3

Friday, March 28, 2014 | 12:00pm
Louisville Indoor Racquet Club

SINGLES

1. Marko Mandic (B) def. Alex Koca 8-4
2. John Nogalski (R) def. Chad Woodham 9-8
3. Jack Gray (B) def. Jack Evans 9-8
4. Joe O'Connor (R) def. Cooper Long 8-3
5. Jacob Moore (R) def. Stewie Austin 9-8
6. Patrick Michealis (R) def. Alex Kadrie 8-4

DOUBLES

1. Marko Mandic & Jack Gray (B) def. John Nogalski & Jacob Moore 8-4
2. Alex Koca & Joe Ibarra (R) def. Chad Woodham & Cooper Long 8-3
3. Joe O'Connor & Jack Evans (R) def. Barrett Shock & Ethan Palisoc 8-0

2014 Boys A Division Tournament Pairings Released

The schedule and pairings have been released for the 2014 DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships Boys A Division presented by Subway. The 2014 tournament will feature 16 teams from nine different states including eight defending team State Champions.

The top half of the tournament bracket is highlighted by defending tournament and Illinois State Champion Hinsdale Central (Hinsdale, IL). The Red Devils return three of Illinois' top juniors Eddie Grabill, Martin Joyce, and Michael Lorenzini. Hinsdale Central outscored their tournament opponents 31-5 in 2013. Hinsdale Central will open tournament play against Jenks (Jenks, OK), Oklahoma Class 6A runner-up. Jenks is led by Oklahoma No. 2 singles semi-finalists Mitchell Worley. Missouri Class AA State Champion Rockhurst (Kansas City, MO) will make their first tournament appearence. The Hawklets led by Doubles State Champions John Nogalski and Jacob Moore will meet Baylor (Chattanooga, TN) in the opening round. Baylor is led by Pomona commit  Marko Mandic. 

The top half of the bracket also features Missouri Class A State Champion Mary Institute and County Day School (Saint Louis, MO). MICDS is led by Missouri's top ranked junior Joseph McAllister and top ranked freshman Rohit Chouhan. The Rams open tournament play against Tennessee Division II Class A State Champion Webb School of Knoxville (Knoxville, TN). Webb School is led by Tennessee Division II Class A state finalist Lorenzo Rollhauser and Tennessee's top ranked freshman Thomas Loaiza. Barron Collier (Naples, FL) back-to-back tournament runner-up will open play against Cardinal Gibbons (Raleigh, NC). Barron Collier, defending Florida Class 3A State Champion, is led by junior Alan Sweet. North Carolina Class 3A State Champion Cardinal Gibbons is led by 2013 All-American and North Carolina signee Robert Kelly and junior Matt Galush.

Two-time tournament champion New Trier (Winnetka, IL) returns to the tournament for the first time since winning back-to-back championships in 2011 & 2012. The Trevians are led by the nation's 6th ranked senior Thomas Fawcett, a Stanford signee, and DePaul signee Alex Galoustian. New Trier opens tournament play against R.J. Reynolds (Winston-Salem, NC), 2013 North Carolina Class 4A runner-up. North Carolina Class 4A Doubles state champion Jack Riazzi will lead the Deamons. The tournaments all-time winningest program Saint Xavier (Louisville, KY) will open tournament play against 2013 Georgia Class 3A State Champion Blessed Trinity (Roswell, GA). The defending Kentucky State Champion Tigers are led by Kentucky Singles state finalist Brandon Lancaster and Kentucky Doubles state finalists Coleman Cox and Nick Waldeck. Blessed Trinity is led by juniors Matt Ghering and Matt Marin. 

Spartanburg (Spartanburg, SC) will open tournament play against Edwardsville (Edwardsville, IL). The Vikings, a round of 16 finisher in South Carolina last season, are led by two of South Carolina's top freshman Spencer Brown and Chambers Easterling. Edwardsville, Illinois' 6th place finisher in 2013, returns Saint Louis commit Brandon Harris, Jack Desse, and Logan Ware. The last match of the bracket is a matchup of the 3rd and 4th place finishers in the 2013 Florida Class 3A State Championships. 3rd Place finisher Winter Park (Winter Park, FL) returns Coastal Georgia signee Arthur Viallaneix and add junior Ninan Kumar. Wiregrass Ranch (Wesley Chapel, FL) are led by Agie Moreno, a top 30 recruit in the sophomore class. 

The tournament semi-finals will take place on Saturday at 10:00am at E.P. Sawyer State Park. The 2014 tournament Championship will take place at 2:30pm.