Baylor Seniors Look to Claim Fourth Straight Tournament Championship

In every sporting event there are dynasties built and the Baylor School girls tennis program has certainly built a dynasty at the DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships. The Red Raiders have won three straight tournament championships, outscored their opponents 67-17 in dual matches and only two of their eleven opponents have won more than two individual matches against them. The Baylor girls have defeated four eventual state finalists during their run including four eventual state champions.

Three-time Tournament Most
Valuable Player Samantha Caswell

In April 2011 Head Coach Dustin Kane brought his young Baylor School team from Chattanooga to the DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships for the first time. The tournament was just beginning to attract attention and teams from across the country and was growing quickly. The Red Raiders opened the tournament with a tough first round match against defending Tennessee State Champion Ravenwood (Brentwood, TN) and pulled out a narrow 5-4 decision. Baylor got key wins from freshman Harper Caswell, Maggie Crumbliss and McCall Morgan to clinch the match and begin their magical run. Baylor went of to defeat defending tournament and Indiana State Champion Saint Joseph's (South Bend, IN) 7-1 in the second and Webb School of Knoxville (Knoxville, TN) 4-0 in a rain-shortened third round before facing cross-town rival Girls Preparatory School (Chattanooga, TN) in their first tournament final. The Red Raiders opened the match sweeping the doubles matches for a 3-0 lead. They then got singles wins by sisters Samantha and Harper Caswell to clinch the match and their first championship. Red Raiders' Samantha Caswell and McCall Morgan were selected for Doubles All-Tournament Team honors and freshman Samantha Cawell was named Tournament Most Valuable Player. 

2012 & 2013 Singles All-Tournament
Team Selection Harper Caswell

The Red Raiders returned a year later looking to defend their tournament championship. Baylor which received a first-round bye in 2012 opened tournament play with a 6-0 win over eventual Kentucky State Finalist Notre Dame Prep (Park Hills, KY). The Red Raiders' sophomores Harper and Samantha Caswell, McCall Morgan and Maggie Crumbliss went undefeated in singles as Baylor defeated Oklahoma powerhouse Jenks (Jenks, OK) in the semi-finals to set-up a rematch with Girls Preparatory School in the championship.  Baylor once again swept the doubles matches to take a 3-0 lead and got singles wins by Samantha Caswell and Mary Walker Mixon to clinch their second straight tournament championship. The Baylor duo of Samantha Caswell and McCall Morgan were selected for Doubles All-Tournament Team honors for the second straight year, Harper Caswell was selected for Singles All-Tournament Team honors and sister Samantha Cawell was again named Tournament Most Valuable Player. 

2013 Doubles All-Tournament Team
Selection Harper Caswell & McCall Morgan

Baylor's clinched their place in tournament history last season with a third straight championship. The Red Raiders opened tournament play with three straight matches against Tennessee opponents including a 9-0 victory over Cookeville (Cookeville, TN), an 8-1 victory over rival Harpeth Hall (Nashville, TN) and a 7-2 victory eventual state champion Ravenwood. Baylor met eventual Oklahoma State Champion Jenks in the tournament championship. The Trojans of Jenks gave the Red Raiders their toughest match so far in tournament play. Baylor opened the match with a 2-1 lead winning the top two doubles positions before dropping three of the first five singles matches to finish leaving the match tied at 4-4. With temperatures falling and darkness looming tournament participants from numerous teams gathered around the final court of play to watch Baylor's Samantha Caswell pull out a 6-3, 6-4 straight set win to clinch the match and give the Red Raiders their record third straight title. Samantha Caswell was selected as the Tournament Most Valuable Player for the third straight year, sister Harper Caswell received her second straight Singles All-Tournament Team honors and the duo of Harper Caswell and McCall Morgan received Doubles All-Tournament Team honors. 

The Red Raiders will return to the DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships in 2014 looking for a fourth straight title behind a group of four senior that have left their mark on tournament history. Three-time tournament MVP Samantha Caswell has won 19 straight singles and 9 straight doubles matches. The group of seniors who claimed their first title as freshman have finished their first three years with a 33-6 record in singles and a 19-3 record in doubles matches. The Baylor girls have went on to win three straight Tennessee Division II Class AA State Championships and Samantha Caswell has won back-to-back Singles State Championships. 

Former Participants Find Success at NCAA Division III Level

If you want to see how successful past DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships players are at the collegiate level then look no further than the Preseason NCAA Division III Men's Rankings. Five different tournament alums are ranked in the Singles Rankings and four of the top 10 doubles teams in the country consist of past participants.

The singles rankings are led by Hinsdale Central alum Rafe Mosetick who is ranked 12th nationally. Mosetick, a 2011 tournament participant, finished his freshman season at Emory with a 21-6 record advancing to the quarterfinals of the ITA Regionals. Joey Fritz, 2010 Boys B Division Most Valuable Player for Cincinnati Country Day, is ranked 14th nationally for Amherst. Fritz finished his junior season with a 12-4 record finishing the season the ninth ranked singles player in the nation and earning All-American honors. Fritz is also of the nation's 9th ranked doubles team. Montgomery Bell Academy alum and Middlebury sophomore Palmer Campbell is making a big splash at the Division III level. Campbell is currently ranked 18th in the country in singles and is half of the nation's top ranked doubles team. Campbell and partner Brantner Jones won this fall's USTA/ITA Small College National Tennis Doubles Championship. Ben Shklyar, a 2011 singles and doubles All-Tournament team selection, is ranked 40th nationally in singles for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. The sophomore transfer from Cleveland State University is also ranked 7th nationally in doubles. Jack Kasbeer, a fellow Deerfield alum, enters his freshman season with Carnegie Mellon ranked 47th nationally singles. Emerson Walsh, a 2011 Boys B Division singles and doubles All-Tournament team selection, enters his freshman season at Johns Hopkins with high hopes ranking 5th in nation in doubles.

2013-14 NCAA Division III Men's Singles Rankings

Rank

Player

School

12

Rafe Mosetick

Emory

14

Joey Fritz

Amherst

18

Palmer Campbell

Middlebury

40

Ben Shklyar

Whitewater

47

Jack Kasbeer

Carnegie Mellon

2013-14 NCAA Division III Men's Doubles Rankings

Rank	Doubles Team	School
1	Palmer Campbell/Brantner Jones	Middlebury

5

Michael Buxbaum/Emerson Walsh

Johns Hopkins

7

Byron Balkin/Ben Shkylar

UW-Whitewater

9

Ben Fife/Joey Fritz

Amherst

Former MVP Hiltzik Leads Past Participants In ITA Division I Rankings

Former DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships participants continue to show up in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division I Rankings.

	#4 - Jared Hiltzik, University of Illinois Former tournament MVP Jared Hiltzik is currently ranked 4th in the country in the latest ITA Men's Division I Singles Rankings and 31st in Doubles Rankings. Hiltzik, a sophomore at the University of Illinois, went undefeated (8-0) in singles play and 4-1 in doubles play to lead New Trier to back-to-back tournament championships in 2011-12.  His performances earned him Singles All-Tournament team honors in 2011 and MVP and Doubles All-Tournament team honors in 2012. Hiltzik was named a National High School Tennis All-American in 2012.
	#36 - Brett Clark, University of North Carolina Clark, a sophomore at the University of North Carolina, was a back-to-back All-Tournament team selection in 2011 & 2012. Clark, currently ranked 36th in the ITA Men's Division I National Singles Rankings and 29th in the Doubles Rankings, led his Barron Collier team to a runner-up finish in the 2012 DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships. He finished his two tournament experiences with a 7-1 overall record in singles and a 6-2 overall record in doubles. Clark was named a National High School Tennis All-American in 2011 & 2012.
	#39 - Kourtney Keegan, University of Florida The University of Florida freshman is ranked 39th in the ITA Women's Division I National Singles Rankings making her the highest ranked female alum in tournament history. Keegan, a 2012 DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships participant, earned both singles and doubles All-Tournament team honors. She finished the tournament with an 3-0 singles record and 2-0 doubles record leading her Blessed Trinity team to a 3rd place finish. Keegan was named a National High School Tennis All-American in 2012 & 2013.
	#55 - Beck Pennington, University of Kentucky Pennington, ranked 55th in the ITA Men's Division I National Singles Rankings, is a two-time All-Tournament team selection. The Bowling Green, KY native and sophomore at Kentucky led his Greenwood high school team to back-to-back tournament titles in 2008 & 2009. Pennington earned doubles All-Tournament team honors as an eighth-grader in 2008 and repeated with singles honors in 2009. Pennington was named a National High School Tennis All-American in 2012.

Twelve Past Participants Named National High School All Americans

Congratulations to the twelve past participants that were named National High School All-Americans. The National High School Tennis All-American Foundation has presented the honors annually since 2000. The honors are given to the top 40 boys and top 40 girls high school players in the nation who have exhibited an above average academic and citizenship record, competed on their high school tennis team, and garnered an individual national ranking.

The following players were selected as National High School All-Americans for 2013:

Hudson Blake - Senior - Brophy Prep (Phoenix, AZ)

Sean Donohue - Senior - Saint Xavier (Louisville, KY)

Martin Joyce - Sophomore - Hinsdale Central  (Hinsdale, IL)

Aaron Jumonville - Senior - Montgomery Bell Academy (Nashville, TN)

Kourtney Keegan - Senior - Blessed Trinity (Roswell, GA)

Robert Kelly - Junior - Cardinal Gibbons (Raleigh, NC) 

Joulia Likhanskaia - Senior - Winter Park (Winter Park, FL)

Cassie Mercer - Junior - Huntington (Huntington, WV)

Baker Newman - Junior - Gulliver Prep (Pinecrest, FL)

Chase Perez-Blanco - Junior - Gulliver Prep (Pinecrest, FL)

Walker Sims - Junior - Memphis University School (Memphis, TN)

Olivia Thaler - Junior - Gulliver Prep (Pinecrest, FL)

Congratulations to all of these players on this fantastic accomplishment!

Ocean Springs Boys & Girls Win Mississippi Class 6A State Championship

Congratulations to Ocean Springs who won their fourth straight Mississippi Class 6A State Championship! The Greyhounds won the co-ed state title with a 5-2 victory over Madison Central in the state's largest division. Ocean Springs got wins by Belhaven signee Skylar Flowers at the Boys Singles position and doubles duos Mason Vice and Andrew Risley and Jack Wilson and Ali Sidiqui at the Boys Doubles positions. On the girls side senior Sadey St. Amant got the win at the Girls Singles position while her sister Sophie St. Amant partnered with Amber Welch to win the No. 2 Girls Doubles position and clinch the 5-2 victory. Greyhound Skylar Flowers also claimed the Boys Singles State Championship while teammates Jack Wilson and Mason Vice won the Boys Doubles State Championship and Andrew Risley and Amanda Kilduff won the Mixed Doubles State Championship.

Sacred Heart Girls Win Kentucky State Championship

Congratulations to Sacred Heart Academy who won the Kentucky Girls State Championship! The Valkyries were nearly perfect in the dual match state tournament outscoring their opponents 12-1 to claim their first state title since 2008. Sacred Heart got wins from doubles duos Katherine English and Sydney Thompson and Mary Elaine Kuo and Erin MacMillan to take a 2-0 lead in the championship over Lone Oak. Lone Oak's Michelle McKamey got a victory at the No. 1 singles position to move the Purple Flash within 2-1, but the Valkyries clinched the match with Abbey MacMillan's 6-0, 1-6, 10-3 victory. The team titles marks the eighth team title for the Valkyires, three shy of the state record held by Lone Oak. Sacred Heart senior Katherine English made history in the doubles state tournament as she partnered with Sydney Thompson to capture her third straight Kentucky Girls Doubles State Championship. With the championship English becomes the first player since 1978, and just the fifth all-time, to win three straight titles.

Saint Xavier Boys Win Kentucky State Championship

Congratulations to Saint Xavier who won their fifth straight Kentucky Boys State Championship! The Tigers outscored their four opponents 12-0 to finish the dual match tournament undefeated and claim their 22nd overall state title. Saint Xavier senior and Alabama signee Sean Donohue led the Tigers to the state championship before turning over the reins to fellow senior Parker Thieneman and sophomores Brandon Lancaster, Nick Quinones and Liam Friel who capped off the team championship with a 3-0 win over Lone Oak. The Tigers also dominated the individual tournament placing seniors Zachary Kuo and Parker Theineman and underclassmen Coleman Cox and Nick Waldeck in the Doubles State Championship. Kuo/Thieneman prevailed 6-3, 6-2 in the all-Tigers finale to give St. X their seventh doubles title since 2000. Defending State Champion Sean Donohue advanced to the singles semi-finals and sophomore Brandon Lancaster finished the year with a runner-up finish in the Singles State Championship.

Jesuit Boys Win Louisiana Division I State Championship

Congratulations to Jesuit who won their sixth consecutive Louisiana Division I Boys State Championship! The Blue Jays who finished in 12th place in the 2013 DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships put on a dominant performance in the state tournament to claim the title. Jesuit was led by senior LSU signee Hobie Hotard who became the first Louisiana high school boy to win four consecutive singles titles in the LHSAA Division I state tennis tournament. The Blue Jays' top doubles duo of Trevor Lew and James Sampognaro fell short of defending their state title, losing in the championship, but earned valuable team points. Jesuit freshman Jonathan Niehaus advanced to the singles state semi-finals and the doubles team of Kevin Mickan and Gregory Suhor advanced to the doubles state semi-finals. The title marks Jesuit's twentieth state title overall.

Gulliver Prep Boys & Girls Win Florida Class 2A State Championship

Congratulations to Gulliver Prep who won both the Florida Class 2A Boys and Girls State Championships! 

Gulliver Prep dominated the boys tournament winning all seven divisions in the team event to earn the maximum 21 points and clinching both the overall singles and doubles state championships. The Raiders were led by Singles State Champion Chase Perez-Blanco and the Doubles State Champion duo of Perez-Blanco and Baker Newman. Gulliver Prep's Chase Perez-Blanco, Baker Newman, Brian Granoff, Robert Roque and Patrick Bared each claimed titles in the team competition. Gulliver's performance marks the first time since 2009 that a team has swept the team competition and both individual championships. 

It is the Raiders boys eighth overall state title, tying American Heritage for fourth most in state history. Barron Collier has won six championships the past seven years.

The Raider girls were dominate in their own right winning five of the seven divisions in the team competition and claiming the overall doubles title. Gulliver's Olivia Thaler, Julieta Dalmau and Madeline Benn won their singles divisions and Thaler & Dalmau and Benn & Estefania Navarro won their doubles divisions. The doubles duo of Thaler and Dalmau went on to claim the overall doubles state championship as well. This is the fifth state championship for the Gulliver Prep girls. 

Barron Collier Boys Win Florida Class 3A State Championship

Congratulations to Barron Collier who won their fourth straight Florida Class 3A Boys State Championship! The Cougars who are back-to-back DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships Finalists clinched their state title winning three of the five singles draws and both doubles draws finishing with 18 points, well ahead of Gainesville with 12. Barron Collier's Alan Sweet, Michael Raymond and Alejandro Vargas won individual titles at No. 2, No. 4 and No. 5 singles respectively. Jorge Vargas and Sweet won the No. 1 doubles draw and Paul Johnson and Doug Small won at No. 2 doubles.

It is the Cougar boys ninth state title overall, tying Bradenton Prep for third most in state history. Barron Collier has won seven championships the past nine years.

Dates for 2014 Tournament Announced

The DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships will return to Louisville, KY for the 2014 tournament. The dates of the eighth annual event have officially been released. The girls will open tournament play on March 21-22nd. The Boys will wrap up tournament play on March 28-29th. 

The 2014 tournament will feature an 16-team A Division and 8-team B Division for both the boys and girls to host a total of 48 teams. Teams participating in the A Division will be guaranteed four matches and teams participating in the B Division will be guaranteed 3 matches. 

This year we will be offering an early-bird special for teams that commit to the event prior to January 1st. The entry fee for A Division teams will be $400 before January 1st and will increase to $425 after January 1st. The entry fee for B Division participants will be $300 before January 1st and will increase to $325 after January 1st.

To reserve your spot in the 2014 event please fill out the 2014 Participant Interest Form.