Section V Boys Tennis: Teams to beat at sectionals, top players this season

Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

If the Section V Boys Team Tennis Championships was set up as one tournament, Pittsford Sutherland would be the team to beat.

Pittsford Sutherland has victories against every team on the Knights' season schedule, including schools in larger classes, with one exception: town neighbor Pittsford Mendon.

The 14 wins in 15 matches for the Knights include a few of the other big rackets in the section such as Brighton, Harley-Allendale Columbia and McQuaid. Sutherland's lineup against those teams included Brady Thyroff at first singles, Aditya Srinivasan, Devin Bhatia, Charles Thyroff, Sapan Munsiff, Michael Woodams, Cullen Beck, Noah Mroueh, Dylan Bhatia, Mitchell Lau, Leo Taylor and Sam Woods.

Pittsford Sutherland's Aditya Srinivasan, right, and teammate Michael Woodams, left, celebrate a point during their first doubles match against Fairport's Adam Cahall and Alex Pelletier during their match Monday, May 17, 2021 at Pittsford Sutherland High School. Srinivasan and Woodams won the match 6-0,6-0.

Since team sectionals are divided into eight classifications, based mostly on student enrollment, other successful teams in Class B1 could get a chance to knock down Sutherland including Wayne and Geneva, a team that includes Drew Fishback, perhaps the top player in the section and maybe one of the best in the state.

Pittsford Mendon defeated Pittsford Sutherland 4-3 June 1, with victories by Ronan O'Dwyer at first singles and doubles teams Kevin Mortimer and Imad Shaheed, Ryan Kassas and Alex Korshunov, plus Mikail Iqbal and Finn Whitaker.

But Brighton, partially based on a win against Mendon head-to-head, is the Class A2 No. 1 seed, while the Vikings are the No. 2. McQuaid is the No. 3 Class A2 seed.

More:Geneva 8th-grader Fishback follows brother's legacy, wins 'B' singles title

Tournament action begins June 8, with most of the first matches taking place the next day. All of the Class A1 and A2 matchups are seven-point matches, four singles and three doubles slots. The Class C1, C2, D1 and D2 tournaments are five-point contests, including three singles matches.

Since there is a mix of teams which have played seven- or five-point matches during league play this spring in Class B1, those teams have to declare the format for their matchups.

The schools involved also determine COVID-19 safety protocol, including whether masks are required to be worn.

"Every school is different," Section V boys tennis coordinator Rick Schneider said. "The kids are so good about this. I've been told that kids are just going with the flow.

"If they have to wear a mask, they wear a mask. It's been a good situation."

All of the tournaments are scheduled to unfold three consecutive days, with champions crowned June 11. Rainouts push matchups to the next day.

"Things can get staggered, especially if there is rain on Tuesday," Schneider said. "We have to be done by June 15. We can play on Sunday, if we have to."

Section V Team brackets

Fairport's Connor White chases down a return along the baseline during his first singles match against Pittsford Sutherland's Brady Thyroff during their match Monday, May 17, 2021 at Pittsford Sutherland High School.

Class A1 Quarterfinals June 9

No. 1 seed Fairport (8-3 record) bye, host winner of No. 5 vs. No. 4 match during semifinal round; No. 5 Hilton (5-7) at No. 4 Victor (5-6); No. 7 Greece Athena/Odyssey (1-9) at No. 2 Webster Schroeder (9-5); No. 6 Greece Arcadia/Olympia (3-7) at No. 3 Rush-Henrietta (6-7)

Semifinals: June 10 at higher seed.