Green Dragons bow to defending champions
May 17—HERSHEY — It wasn't difficult to see why Lancaster Country Day hasn't loss a tennis match to a Class 2A team over the past two seasons.
And pretty easy to see them repeat when the PIAA Class 2A Team Championships come to an end.
But on Friday night at the Hershey Racquet Club, the Cougars were put to the test by District 4 champion Lewisburg.
The Green Dragons fell 3-1 to Lancaster Country Day in the quarterfinals, but coach Evan Mahaffey was pretty sure fans witnessed the championship decided in the final quarterfinal of the night.
"I really think we watched the championship (out there)," Mahaffey said. "Those were two great teams out there. There was a lot of third sets, especially in those single matches. There was so really tough outings.
"I just feel we were watching some of the best tennis the state has to offer in 2024."
Lancaster Country Day (19-1) suffered its lone loss at the hands of Unionville, which lost early Friday in the Class 3A quarterfinals. Lancaster will face Sewickley Academy, a 4-0 winner over Moravian Academy, in a rematch of last year's semifinals, won by the Cougars 5-0.
Lewisburg finishes its outstanding season at 20-1.
"I give best of luck to Lancaster because I think everybody is going to be a cakewalk (for them) after playing us today," Mahaffey said.
All three of Friday's singles matches were marathons lasting more than two hours, with No. 2 singles and No. 3 singles both going to a third set. The No. 1 singles match between District 4 champion Eddie Monaco and District 3 champion Michael Georgelis had an 1 hour, 40-minute first set which ended in a tiebreaker.
There was a moment about 90 minutes into the match where it looked as though Lewisburg might pull the upset.
The second singles duel had Will Cecchini of Lewisburg using his serve dominate the opening set, racing out to a 5-0 lead on his way to a 6-3 win. Meanwhile, at No. 3 singles, Sarathak Vishwakarma dominated his opening set with Gavin Georgelis, winning 6-0.
In a battle of district champions, Monaco, who only lost one set this season to defending Class 3A singles champion David Lindsey of Central Mountain, had three set points in the opener against Michael Georgelis, including two in the tiebreak. The District 3 champion won the final four points of the tiebreak to take the first set.
While that marathon was happening, both Cecchini and Vishwkarma lost second sets to force decisive third sets in their singles battles, while Lancaster Country Day clinched two straight-set wins in doubles.
Cecchini saved two matched points in the second singles match against Carson Weigle in the third set, but the Cougar ripped a forehand winner down the line to clinch the final set, 6-4.
Monco and Michael Georgelis didn't finish their match, but Vishwakarma dominated his third set for the only Lewisburg victory, a 6-0, 2-6, 6-2 win over Gavin Georgelis.
"The best part, even with the result, these guys are smiling because they know the kind of effort they put into this — not only this season, but tonight," Mahaffey said.
------
PIAA CLASS 2A TEAM TENNIS TOURNAMENT
QUARTERFINAL
at Hershey Racquet Club
LANCASTER COUNTRY DAY 3, LEWISBURG 1
Singles
Michael Geogelis (LCD) led Eddie Monaco, 7-6 (8-6), 4-2; Carson Weigle (LCD) def. Will Cecchini, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4; Sarthak Vishwakarma (Lew) def. Gavin Georgelis, 6-1, 3-6, 6-2.
Doubles
Andrew Yanero-Ivan Bene (LCD) def. Alexey Rosenberg-Canyon Swartzentruber, 6-4, 6-3; Carter Burkholder-Henry Wilcomes (LCD) def. Grant Rowe-Luke Azeredo, 6-2, 6-0.
