American Heritage girls tennis champions; Pine Crest, Krop boys also win team crowns

Plantation American Heritage was simply perfect.

Heritage blanked a stout Lakeland McKeel Academy 4-0 to land the Class 2A girls tennis state championship Thursday at Red Bug Lake Park in Casselberry while posting a 12-0 mark in matches at the state tournament.

“I didn’t anticipate any of the matches being shutouts but from the quarterfinals on, we just didn’t lose,” said American Heritage coach Toby Croke, now in his 18th season with the program. “It was just a clean sweep. Our team fought so hard and achieved greatness.”

The state championship was the sixth for the American Heritage girls and its first since 2018. They were led by Natalie Block and Sangee Prieto, a tandem that will play for the overall doubles state title in the crossover rounds Friday at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs. Block will also play for the singles title.

“We are all super happy,” Block said. “We had a tough match at regionals with Pine Crest when we came back from a set down to beat them. So we came to state super-pumped and it was amazing not to lose a match at the state tournament.”

Pine Crest boys won their first team state title since 2012 and second in school history after holding off Satellite 4-1 in the final.

Coach Corey Marsh is just in his second season with the program and his first postseason since coming down from his head coaching position at Hunter College in New York City.

“It’s been an amazing year with an amazing group of kids,” Marsh said. “No one deserved it more than this group. Our two seniors, Jamie Corsillo and Andrew Pereverzeb, showed amazing leadership. They have waited five and six years for this championship. Our younger players will continue the success. This has been real special.”

Dr. Krop boys won their fifth state title in the program’s history when they captured the 4A crown with a 4-0 win against Vero Beach in the final at Sanlando Park.

“We were a little bit tight in those important matches toward the end,” said Dr. Krop’s No. 1 player Sebastian Rondon. “Vero was playing under pressure really well after we were up 3-0, but we couldn’t let go.”

Dr. Krop athletic director Danac Lebron was filling in as head coach and feels the team could have won the state title a year ago had the tournament not been canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“They had to wait an extra year. They would have won it last year but these guys just worked hard during the season to get there and do it,” Lebron said.

Pine Crest eighth-grader Akasha Urhobo won the 2A girls’ individual singles state title, turning back La Salles’ Isabella Rojas 6-2, 6-2 despite being down early in both sets at Sylvan Lake Park in Sanford

“I stuck with my original game plan but when it came to closing out matches, I hesitated and I just stayed on the offensive,” she said.

Urhobo said she hasn’t given much thought to the possibility of winning an individual state title for five consecutive seasons but the opportunity is now there following Thursday’s win.

Also in 2A competition, George Kosselfi from Delray Beach defeated Kristopher Cancelado from Somerset Academy in the boys’ individual singles final 6-2, 6-1 at Sylvan Lake.

In 4A individual boys’ action, Julen Morgan of Ferguson won the singles state title beating Carson Cerejo from Wellington 6-4, 6-1. Morgan also finished as state runner-up in individual doubles, teaming up with Kenden Aguilera. They lost the title match to Olympia’s Luis Leon and Alexey Timokhine 6-4, 6-3.

Dr. Krop girls’ tandem of Ayami Aaehama and Juanita Villamrin finished as state runner-up in 4A individual doubles after dropping the title match to Lakewood Ranch duo Devain Perry and Libby Siegel, 6-3, 6-1.

Palmetto finished as 4A girls’ state runner-up to Spanish River after a 4-0 defeat.

This story was originally published April 29, 2021 at 6:43 PM.