St. Thomas Aquinas’ girls tennis secures third consecutive state title and 16th overall
St. Thomas Aquinas has a rich history in girls’ tennis.
It’s not just tennis legend Chris Evert. The Raiders have produced plenty of pro players like former University of Miami standout Audra Cohen.
And they’ve won more state team championships than any program in the state.
Aquinas added No. 16 to that total this week when its girls defeated Naples Barron Collier 6-1 to secure the Class 3A state championship.
The Raiders won their third consecutive team crown to extend the state’s longest active championship streak. It’s the longest title streak for Aquinas since it won four in a row from 1993 to 1996.
“In sports you’re not considered a champion until you have defended your title,” Aquinas coach Carol Deopsomer said. “Winning once can be a fluke, twice proves your the best. I’m at number 8 and can’t wait to see number nine. I just love what I do.”
Aquinas’ No. 1 player Sophia Pacheco dropped her match to Chelsea Casapu 6-1, 6-0. But the Raiders had no trouble sweeping the rest of their matches led by No. 2 singles player Rowan Cicero’s 6-1, 6-7 (5), 10-7 victory over Nadia Parsa.
Cicero and Pacheco then teamed up at No. 1 doubles to beat Casapu and Kati Ruci 5-3, 4-5 (5), 10-5.
A major victory came in the No. 2 doubles match where Gabriella Alonso and Samantha Meyer survived a marathon to beat Kate Freshwater and Madison Knoth. Alonso and Meyer won a first set tiebreaker 17-15 and then dropped the second set 4-2 before rallying to win the third set 10-5.
Alonso also beat Ruci 6-2, 6-2 at No. 3 singles and Meyer beat Knoth 6-1, 6-2 to win at No. 4 singles. Lisi Sinkoe won at No. 5 singles 6-4, 6-0 over Freshwater.
“I’m so proud of my team, we overcame an obstacle in the beginning of our season and proved we are a strong enough program to continue to strive for excellence,” Deopsomer said. “I’m proud to have been a part of St. Thomas Aquinas athletics since 1995. This eighth championship feels just as good as the first.”
Pacheco and Cicero were unable to add more gold in the individual doubles bracket, however. The duo lost in the overall final, 6-3, 1-6, 10-7, to Gulf Breeze’s Sarah McElrath and Ella Goodwin.
Aquinas’ boys were also unable to make it a sweep for the Raiders as they fell 4-1 to Barron Collier in the state final. Philip Paun, the Raiders’ No. 4 player, won the only match for them by beating Nicolas Fallon 6-1, 6-2. Aquinas’ top duo of Blake Edwards and Conor Reeser lost in the No. 1 doubles match and Edwards also lost at No. 1 singles. Paun and Lucca Freitas pushed their opponents, Fallon and Mark Taviloglu, to a third set before losing at No. 2 doubles, 4-2, 2-4, 10-7.
MORE STATE TITLES
A day after winning their second consecutive state team title, the True North girls’ doubles tandem of Daniela Chica and Alba Martinez took home another championship.
Chica and Martinez edged North Palm Beach Benjamin’s Maria Navarro and Milan Ronert 6-7, 6-1, 10-4 to win the Class 1A overall title.
On the boys’ side, True North’s duo of Brennon Chow and Caleb Chow lost 4-2, 2-4, 5-10 in the individual 1A boys doubles final.
This story was originally published May 3, 2024 at 8:34 PM.
