Jenkins and Auburndale boys, Bartow girls heading to FHSAA state tennis tournament
Three Polk teams advanced out of regionals on Thursday and will play this week in the 2024 FHSAA Tennis State Championships.
The George Jenkins boys will begin play Monday along with individual qualifiers Ben Saltman from Winter Haven, and McKeel's Jada Hutto and Briley Davis. The Auburndale boys and Bartow girls will begin play Wednesday, joining individual qualifier Nyer Kerr of Santa Fe Catholic.
In the Class 4A regional finals, George Jenkins defeated Winter Haven, 4-1.
Jenkins took a 2-0 lead as Jenkins’ Nico Kumria and Dylan Mitchell defeated Satlman and Colin Lopez, 4-1, 5-4 (10-8) at No. 1 doubles. Logan Bright and Brayden Mitchell defeated Layton Kemp and CJ Chalwe, 5-4 (7-5), 4-2, at No. 2 doubles.
In singles competition, Saltman defeated Kumria, 6-3, 6-0 at No. 1 singles for the Blue Devils only win
Jenkins clinched with wins at No. 3 and No. 4. Bright defeated Kemp, 6-2, 6-1, and Brayden Mitchell defeated Chalwe, 6-0, 6-2.
In the Class 3A boys final, Auburndale defeated Seabreeze, 4-1.
Auburndale won four of the five singles spots, losing just at No. 2 singles. Winning for Auburndale, Kyle Fox defeated JJ Martin, 6-2, 6-4, at No. 1; Trevor Petterec defeated Liam Rasmenson, 6-4, 6-2, at No. 3; Angel Guilarte defeated Will Reise, 6-2, 6-2, at No 4, and Chad Williams defeated Ewan Noval, 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-4).
Seabreeze’s Hunter Shuler defeated Anthony Ralston, 6-3, 6-1, at No. 1.
For the girls, Bartow defeated Wiregrass Ranch, 4-1.
Bartow got wins at the first four singles spots. Montserrat Vasconez defeated Madison Miller, 6-1, 6-0, at No. 1; Bhavya Pinapala defeated Manu Chandler, 6-2, 6-3, at No. 2; Elizabeth Matteson defeated Patricia Rivera, 6-3, 6-2, and Madison Fedler defeated Simms Patil, 6-2, 6-4.
Wiregrass Ranch’s Kundana Kominni defeated Madelyn McLean, 6-3, 7-6 (7-2).
In matches on Monday, George Jenkins plays West Boca Raton in the quarterfinals.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: 3 Polk tennis teams, Saltman, Kerr, Hutto, Davi begin play at state
