Banner week continues for American Heritage with doubles tennis title
It wasn’t necessarily the perfect follow-up to American Heritage’s perfect score, but Jordan Skalet still brought the Patriots one more gold medal from the Class 2A state tennis championships.
After losing to Merritt Island’s Albert Go for the overall singles title Friday morning, Skalet exacted a little payback later around lunchtime by teaming with Zach Ebenfeld to capture the overall doubles crown in another Heritage-Merritt Island showdown.
Skalet/Ebenfeld prevailed in a 6-4, 6-2 decision over Go and Noah Rawls, wresting control after a tight opening set.
“I had a little bit of trouble in my finals of the singles, but I bounced back pretty well,” said Skalet, who managed to quickly put any sting from the singles loss behind him. “You’ve just got to stay focused, stay positive. Keep going forward.”
It capped a banner week for the Patriots, who broke Gulliver Prep’s near-stranglehold on the region last week and used it as a springboard to their first boys’ title. Heritage’s sweep of all seven brackets Wednesday and Thursday even matched Gulliver’s 21-point totals to win 2A honors in 2011, ’13 and ’14.
Better yet, the Patriots figure to lose only one senior when they seek to defend the crown next year.
At the Class 4A tournament in Longwood, Ferguson’s Jose Ortega reigned as the boys’ overall singles champion without hitting a shot. He arrived at Sanlando Park to learn that opponent Charlie Sullivan (Boca Raton Spanish River) had withdrawn from the final with an injury.
“It means a lot, even if the guy didn’t show up,” said Ortega, who became just the second state champion at Ferguson in any sport.
Next year, he’ll seek to become the first boy to repeat as 4A overall singles champion since Sunset’s Alexander Bogomolov in 2000-01. “I’m definitely planning to come back next year,” Ortega said.
The Cypress Bay duo of Shené Disbergen and Sibel Can went to the wire in quest of the 4A girls’ overall doubles crown, forcing a third-set tiebreaker against West Boca’s Anna Bright and Eden Sela before succumbing 10-7.
The Lightning tandem still can revel in the satisfaction of a second state team title, with the expectation of being early favorites for a third next year. Disbergen and Can will be among four seniors seeking a three-peat.
Gulliver Prep’s doubles tandem of Julieta Dalmau and Lindy Lyons, who hadn’t dropped a game in rolling to the 2A individual title, ran into a buzz saw in losing the overall final to sisters Katherine and Emily Sidor of Rockledge.
The Sidors quickly set the Gulliver duo back on their heels by winning four of the first five games, cruising to a 6-3, 6-2 decision.
Miami High’s doubles team of Kevin Cubela and Mauricio Fernandez fell short of the Class 4A individual title, unable to convert two match points before falling to Wellington’s Justin Sacks and Jacq Hundley in three sets.
Kristina Fernandez and Sofia Quevedo of Coral Gables went down in the final of the 4A girls’ individual doubles, losing in straight sets to West Boca’s Bright and Sela.
CLASS 4A RESULTS
Boys — Singles finals: No. 1: Charlie Sullivan (Spanish River) def. Ninan Kumar (Winter Park), 6-3, 7-6 (7-4); No. 2: Michael Plutt (Cypress Bay) def. Guido Argentini (SR), 2-6, 7-5, 10-7; No. 3: Carlos Moreno (CB) def. Patrick Murray (SR), 6-2, 6-1; No. 4: Scott Plutt (CB) def. Jared Lee (SR), 6-1, 6-0; No. 5: Robert Slutsky (CB) def. Rodrigo Cardenas (WP), 6-3, 6-2. Doubles finals: No. 1: Kumar/Will Smyrk (WP) def. Christopher Morin/S.Plutt (CB), 6-2, 6-2; No. 2: Moreno/M. Plutt (CB) def. Lee/Murray (SR), 6-1, 6-2. Individual singles: Jose Ortega (Ferguson) def. Arman McLean (Dr. Krop), 6-4, 6-1; Doubles: Justin Sacks/Jacq Hundley (Wellington) def. Kevin Cubela/Mauricio Fernandez (Miami High), 3-6, 7-6 (8-6), 12-10. Overall finals: Singles: Ortega (Ferguson) def. Sullivan (SR), walkover. Doubles: Kumar/Smyrk (WP) def. Sacks/Hundley (Wellington), 6-1, 7-6 (7-5).
Girls — Singles finals: No. 1: Claire McKee (Boca Raton) def. Shené Disbergen (Cypress Bay), 6-2, 7-6 (7-4); No. 2: Arianna Beltrame (Orlando Olympia) def. Sibel Can (CB), 6-4, 6-2; No. 3: Michelle Eisenberg (CB) def. Katya Martens (Palmetto), 6-1, 7-5; No. 4: Samara Eisenberg (CB) def. Stephanie Levine (Pal), 6-2, 7-5; No. 5: Laura Herrera (CB) def. Roxanna Montoya (Pal), 2-6, 6-1, 15-13. Doubles finals: No. 1: Disbergen/Can (CB) def. McKee/Priyanka Sundhar (BR), 6-3, 6-2; No. 2: Martens/Ansofi Wreder (Pal) def. Carlye Goldman/Meisha Kendall-Woseley (BR), 7-6 (9-7), 6-3. Individual singles: Anna Bright (West Boca) def. Alexandra Lee (Orlando Cypress Creek), 6-2, 6-2; Doubles: Bright/Eden Sela (WB) def. Kristina Fernandez/Sofia Quevedo (Coral Gables), 6-2, 6-4. Overall finals: Singles: Bright (WB) def. McKee (BR), 6-2, 2-6, 10-6. Doubles: Bright/Sela (WB) def. Disbergen/Can (CB), 6-3, 2-6, 10-7.
CLASS 2A RESULTS
Boys — Singles finals: No. 1: Jordan Skalet (Am. Heritage) def. Ryan Joo (Gainesville Eastside), 7-6 (7-2), 6-4; No. 2: Zach Ebenfeld (AH) def. Benjamin Brandt (East), 6-2, 6-3; No. 3: Kirac Bekisoglu (AH) def. Carter Morgan (Jacksonville Bolles), 6-0 , 6-0; No. 4: Mikey Ozery (AH) def. Derek Li (East), 6-3, 7-5; No. 5: Romare Gonzalez (AH) def. Samuel Cockey (East), 6-1, 6-1. Doubles finals: No. 1: Skalet/Ebenfeld (AH) def. Joo/Brandt (East), 6-0, 6-0; No. 2: Bekisoglu/Ozery (AH) def. Davis Washburn/Cam Kima (East), 6-0, 6-2. Individual singles: Albert Go (Merritt Isl.) def. Dimitri Salzmann (Archbishop McCarthy), 1-6, 6-4, 10-8; Doubles: Go/Noah Rawls (MI) def. Jon Aninon/Gavin Mattiace (Jacksonville Stanton), 7-6 (8-6), 6-3. Overall finals: Singles: Go (MI) def. Skalet (AH), 6-3, 3-6, 10-7. Doubles: Skalet/Ebenfeld (AH) def. Go/Rawls (MI), 6-4, 6-2.
Girls — Singles finals: No. 1: Katherine Sidor (Rockledge) def. Caroline Lozo (Tampa Holy Names), 6-2, 6-1; No. 2: Danielle Obolevitch (Pine Crest) def. Kaylan Rotman (Orlando Lake Highland Prep), 6-4, 5-7, 11-9; No. 3: Kaely Malik (PC) def. Kaitlin Ruether (Rock), 7-6 (7-2), 6-3; No. 4: Carly Feldman (PC) def. Kate Henley (LHP), 6-0, 6-0; No. 5: Demi Snyder (PC) def. Demme Kraut (LHP), 6-1, 6-0. Doubles finals: No. 1: Sidor/Emily Sidor (Rock) def. Rotman/Sarah Herndon (LHP), 7-5, 4-6, 10-4; No. 2: Obolevitch/Ines Debracamonte (PC) def. Lauren Derstine/Medina Hamzagic (Stanton), 6-1, 6-1. Individual singles: Kristina Zieglar (Port Orange Atlantic) def. Julieta Dalmau (Gulliver Prep), 6-3, 6-0. Doubles: Dalmau/Lindy Lyons (GP) def. Amanda Holloway/Sarah Perkins (Belleview), 6-0, 6-0. Overall finals: Singles: Zieglar (Atl) def. K. Sidor (Rock), 6-0, 6-0. Doubles: Sidor/Sidor (Rock) def. Dalmau/Lyons (GP), 6-3, 6-2.
BOYS’ LACROSSE
▪ State play-in first round — St. Thomas Aquinas 17, Cypress Bay 2.
▪ State play-in first round — Gulliver 15, Palmetto 6.
▪ State play-in first round — St. Andrew’s 9, Douglas 8.
GIRLS’ LACROSSE
▪ State play-in first round — Pine Crest 11, St. Thomas Aquinas 7.
▪ State play-in first round — West Broward 16, Ransom Everglades 8.
SOFTBALL
Late Thursday, District 15-3A Final — Miami Country Day 14, SLAM 10:
SC 2 3 0 0 0 4 1 — 10 7 3
MCD 3 0 0 0 2 9 X — 14 8 6
WP: Taylor Sennett 2 H, 2B, RBI, 2 R. Top Performers: Jackie Lash 2 H, 2 RBI, 2 R. Sierra Mathis H, 2 RBI, 3 R. MCD 13-3.
BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL
▪ Ransom d. La Salle (25-22, 25-17, 25-20).
GIRLS’ TRACK
▪ Late Thursday, District 15-1A — South Florida HEAT 192, Westminster Academy 144, Somerset Prep 30, Sagemont 15, Upperroom Christian 3. High Jump: B.Oman (WA) 5-00.00. Pole Vault: K.Sastre (WA) 10-00.00. Long Jump: E.Brown (WA) 16-11.00. Triple Jump: B.Christie (SFH) 34-05.50. Discus Throw: K.Colford (WA) 95-06. Shot Put: K.Colford (WA) 27-02.50. 100 M: E.Brown (WA) 12.78. 200 M: E. Brown (WA) 26.48. 400 M: G.Allison (SFH) 1:02.12. 100 M Hurdles: B.Wirth (SFH) 16.32. 300 M Hurdles :B.Wirth(SFH) 48.30. 4x100 Relay: WA 52.40. 4x400 Relay: WA 4:13.03. 4x800 Relay: SFH 11:08.40. 800 Run: C.Kuchenbecker (SFH) 2:40.26. 1,600 Run: C.Shields (SFH) 6:04.28. 3,200 Run: C.Shields(SFH)13:36.00.
BOYS’ TRACK
▪ Late Thursday, District 15-1A — Westminster Academy 233, South Florida HEAT 109, Somerset Prep 23, Upperroom Christian 6, Sagemont 5.High Jump: R.Moore (WA) 6-02.00. Pole Vault: E.Thompson (WA) 11-06.00. Long Jump: J.Cabral (WA) 21-07.00.Triple Jump: J.Cabral (WA) 42-09.00. Discus Throw: H.Hankerson (WA) 143-00. Shot Put: L.Miseyko (WA) 49-06.00. 100 M: J.Zolnowski (SFH) 11.57.200 M: J.Cabral (WA) 22.76. 400 M: B.Baxter (WA) 55.41. 110 M Hurdles: S.Desir (WA) 15.04. 300 M Hurdles: S.Desir (WA) 40.36. 4x100Relay: WA 44.72. 4x400 Relay: WA3:30.02. 4x800 Relay: WA 8:35.90.800 Run: P.Sastre (WA)2:03.00.1600 Run: C.McCracken (WA) 4:39.90. 3,200 Run: C.McCracken (WA) 10:30.91
Last week’s best Miami-Dade performances
TEAM OF THE WEEK
The Coral Reef softball team won its third consecutive GMAC championship. Third baseman Carsyn Gordon picked up the pitching victory in the final win over Palmetto and hit two home runs to lead the Barracudas.
ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
Jorge Arenas, Monsignor Pace, baseball: Arenas went 3 for 4 with a double and two RBI to lead the Spartans to a 6-4 win over American.
Kia Benitez, Westminster Christian, softball: Benitez went 5 for 5 with a home run and three RBI to lead the Warriors to a 11-10 win over Belle Glade Glades Day in the championship of the Bill Longshore Memorial tournament.
DiCaprio Bootle, Killian, boys’ track and field: Bootle won the 100 and 200 meters at the District 16-4A championships.
Symone Mason, Southridge, girls’ track and field: Mason won the 100, 200 and 1,600-meter relay to lead the Spartans to the District 16-4A championship.
Richard Torres, MAST, boys’ tennis: Torres won his regional match in three sets against Ransom Everglades in the regional finals.
Daniela Lopez, Ransom Everglades, girls’ tennis: Lopez won her girls’ singles match to lead the Raiders to the regional Class 1A championship.
Orlando Gomez, Southwest, boys’ volleyball: Gomez made the All-Tournament team and led the Eagles to a third-place finish in the Gold division of the Smoothie King Invitational.
Alex Alepuz, Belen, boys’ water polo: Alepuz scored four goals to lead the Wolverines to the 12-7 win over Gulliver and a berth in the state tournament.
Cara Mullery, MAST, girls’ water polo: Mullery scored six goals to lead the Makos to a 16-7 win over Dr. Krop and a berth in the state tournament.
Walker Gautier, Gulliver, boys’ lacrosse: Gautier scored six goals to lead the Raiders to a 11-6 win over Belen Jesuit and the District 31 championship.
Andre C. Fernandez
Last week’s best Broward performances
TEAM OF THE WEEK
Chris Tasker (No. 2 singles), Luis Marcano (No. 5 singles) and Andres Hernandez (No. 4 singles) each won matches to lead the Sagemont boys’ tennis team to a 4-1 victory over American Heritage-Delray in the Class 1A regional finals.
ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
Gentry Fortuno, Flanagan, baseball: Fortuno struck out 11 and allowed two runs in a complete game to lead the Falcons (16-4) over Archbishop McCarthy 6-2.
Stephanie Taylor, Kaely Malik and Demi Snyder, Pine Crest, girls’ tennis: Taylor, Malik and Snyder each won singles matches to lead the Panthers over Gulliver Prep 4-1.
J. P. Crowley, St. Thomas Aquinas, boys’ lacrosse: Crowley had a game-high five goals to lead the Raiders (17-0) over University School 18-3 in the District 29 championship game.
Leila Hathaway, Pines Charter, girls’ water polo: Hathaway had the winning goal in overtime to lead the Jaguars (9-4) over St. Thomas Aquinas 7-6 in a first round Play-In game.
Shelley Rapp, Cypress Bay, flag football: Rapp’s touchdown pass in overtime lifted the Lightning (6-5) over West Broward 12-6.
Adrienne McChrystal, Coral Springs Charter, flag football: McChrystal threw two touchdowns and ran for two others to lead the Panthers (4-2) over Douglas 35-0.
Sibel Can and Michelle Eisenberg, Cypress Bay, girls’ tennis: Can and Eisenberg each won at singles to lead the Lightning over Miami Dr. Krop 5-0 in the Region 4A finals.
Christopher Julien, Highlands Christian, boys’ track: Julien won the 100 and 200 to lead Highlands to the District 14-1A title.
Andrea Lopez, Archbishop McCarthy, softball: Lopez had two hits, two RBI and two runs to lead the Mavericks over Port St. Lucie 6-4.
Arturo Freitas, Cypress Bay, boys’ water polo: Freitas had eight goals and nine steals to lead the Lightning over Suncoast 17-3 in the first round play-in game.
Fabian Lyon
This story was originally published April 17, 2015 at 8:23 PM with the headline "Banner week continues for American Heritage with doubles tennis title."