Jonathan Alder doubles player Gideon Sullivan is pictured in action during the 2024 season.
(Journal-Tribune photo of Russo by Tim Miller; Sullivan photo submitted)
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The boys tennis teams from Marysville and Jonathan Alder high schools competed in sectional tournament action earlier this week.
Monarch junior Gianni Russo, who was the No. 1 seed for the Division I sectional, got through his bracket and will play in the semifinals and finals today at Hilliard Davidson.
Russo began the tournament with a 6-1, 6-1 triumph over Drake LaMar, a freshman from Delaware Hayes.
Andrew Kane, a senior from Columbus St. Charles, was the next opponent.
The Monarch netter responded with a 6-0, 6-1 victory.
Russo completed the opening day of competition with a 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 verdict over freshman Aarush Kupta of Dublin Jerome.
Russo will begin today’s portion of the tournament with a match against Rudy Anumula, a freshman from Dubin Jerome.
Monarch senior Noah Burhanna began the singles tournament with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Hilliard Darby junior Liam Hykes.
Burhanna was eliminated from the tournament with a 1-6, 0-6 setback to Anumula.
Will Nuspl, a junior from MHS, began the post-season with a 6-0, 6-0 triumph over Timmy Shieh, a sophomore from Westerville Central.
Nuspl was then eliminated from the tournament after a 3-6, 0-6 loss to Victor Roscoe, a senior from Columbus St. Charles.
Both Monarch doubles teams were eliminated from the tournament in the third round.
The second doubles tandem of senior Jonny Sharrock and junior Brady Scott earned a first-round triumph.
They defeated senior Joe Kwon and sophomore Evan Andrews of Westerville Central 6-1, 6-3.
The second round produced a 6-0, 6-3 verdict over a pair of Columbus Bishop Watterson sophmores Madden Slack and Mark Botos.
The season ended for the pair during the third round.
“We almost pulled through with Jonny and Brady,” said Marysville head coach Brian Ash. “They lost in a third-set tiebreaker, which was heartbreaking.”
The team of senior Kunaal Kamani (senior) and Faraz Hussain (junior) of Dublin Scioto turned back the MHS netters 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5).
Marysville’s first doubles team of senior Kyrell Stauffer and freshman Soorya Loganand won their opening-round match with a 6-4, 6-4 verdict over AJ Boyd (senior) and Zander Tee (sophomore) of Westerville Central.
That was followed by a 6-3, 7-5 triumph over Joel Domino (senior) and Andrew Brook (junior) of Delaware Hayes.
The third round saw Stauffer and Loganand drop a 6-0, 6-2 verdict to a couple of Worthington Kilbourne juniors, Luke Young and Aiden Palcheck.
Jonathan Alder’s doubles teams of Isaac Banks and Gideon Sullivan and Drew Corbitt and Connor Boggs have advanced to next Wednesday’s Division II district tournament.
Banks and Sullivan opened the sectional with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Bauman and Sanders of Worthington Christian.
That was followed by a 6-3, 7-5 triumph over Klenzman and Osborn of Marion River Valley.
Boggs and Corbitt got their sectional matches started by turning back Campbell and Kerrick of Marion River Valley by a 6-3, 6-2 count.
The duo toppled Yoder and Anderson of Highland by scores of 6-2, 6-1.
The sectional concluded for them when they downed Bachmann and Standberry of Cambridge, 6-3, 6-4.
Singles matches did not go as well for the Pioneers.
Knouff of Grandview scored a 6-2, 6-2 triumph in the opening round against Alder’s Noah Kuck.
Pringle of Millersburg West Holmes beat JA’s Seth Dickman 6-0, 6-3,
Josh Weakley of Alder beat Columbus Eastmoor Academy’s Debrah by default in the opening round.
The Pioneer netter followed with a 6-0, 6-2 verdict over Baker of West Holmes.
The season, however, came to an end during Weakley’s third-round match.
Wall of London won that battle with a 6-2, 6-2 win.