Douglas’ Brace wins singles tennis title; Krop’s Inwanto, Rondon capture doubles crown
It was a happy ending for Stoneman Douglas tennis.
Douglas sophomore Cadence Brace won the FHSAA Class 4A girls’ overall singles state championship and then teamed with senior Amanda Aponte to win the overall doubles title on Friday at Sanlando Park.
Brace actually won the singles title when Buchholz junior Cade Cricchio was forced to default because of heel injury suffered on Thursday. Brace was informed she was the overall state champ just minutes before the match was scheduled to begin.
“I was ready warmed-up at 8 a.m.,” Brace said. “I was a bit disappointed when they said we couldn’t play. It is always good to win, but I wanted to play.”
The Douglas girls advanced out of the ghost draw in both overall singles and doubles after the team was eliminated during the team semifinals.
“We have made it to state as a team going back to 2018 when the shooting at our school happened and then again in 2019,” Douglas coach Amelia Pena said. “So after the insane year we’ve had with COVID-19 last spring, we made back up here again, and for our two girls to continue on, was just miraculous. I am very proud of them.”
Aponte broke her favorite racket Thursday afternoon and then broke her backup in the middle of the doubles state final. She ended up finishing the match with a third racket she had tucked away in her bag that belonged to her father.
“My dad was home so my coach told me to just think about having him here, and that helped a lot,” said Aponte after winning her first state medal. “I am never going to forget the trips we made here, but it’s amazing to finally get the medal in the last one.”
Pine Crest’s Jameson Corsillo won the 2A overall boys’ singles title after topping George Kosseifi, from Delray Beach American Heritage, 6-0, 6-4 in the final. Pine Crest won the boys’ team state title Thursday and Corsillo had to regroup for the early morning match.
“I haven’t played any USTA matches in a while where I was going from 8 to 5, so I was pretty sore but I got some sleep Thursday night,” Corsillo said. “It was the third time I beat him this season. He came out slow but he played much better in the second set. He’s a fighter.”
Corsillo and partner Andrew Pereverzev finished as 2A overall boys’ doubles state runner-ups after dropping the title match and 10-point tiebreaker to Jensen Beach tandem Gabriel Escobar and Nicolas Galligan 6-7, 6-0, (9-11).
After Jenson Beach took a 10-9 lead in the 10-point tiebreaker, Pereverzev from Pine Crest received a code violation for racket abuse from the referee after he tossed it into the fence. The violation cost Pine Crest one point and the match, 11-9.
Dr. Krop duo Jonathan Inwanto and Sebastian Rondon, who anchored the 4A boys’ team championship win on Thursday, followed up Friday winning the overall doubles title, handling Luis Leon and Alexey Timokhine from Olympia 6-3, 6-4.
“The match was tight at 4-4 in the second set but we made our points under pressure,” Rondon said.
Pine Crest eighth-grader Akasha Urhobo won the 2A girls’ overall singles crown, besting Plantation sophomore Natalie Block with a tight tie-reaker 6-3, 7-6 (7-5).
“I had to learn to play her the hard way,” Urhobo said. “I made several shot choices and selections, but in the end, I learned my lesson and used what I know from past experiences playing her. It got me through.”
Brock and teammate Sangee Prieto finished as 2A girls’ overall doubles runner-ups after University School duo Ava Grnja and Daniela Porges took the final 7-5, 6-1.
Ferguson senior Julen Morgan finished as the 4A overall boys’ singles state runner-up, dropping the title match to Sami Ozzor of Port Orange Spruce Creek, 5-7, 5-7. They had split two previous matches during their prep careers.
“I played him before so I knew what I was going up against. I expected it,” said Morgan, who will be playing college tennis at Purdue. “He is a lot tougher on hard courts, so I knew today was going to be a lot tougher.”
This story was originally published April 30, 2021 at 3:56 PM.