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Cox’s boys and Princess Anne’s girls captured Class 5 Region A team tennis championships with triumphs Wednesday afternoon on the First Colonial courts in Virginia Beach.
Cox jumped to an early lead and held on to defeat Hickory 5-2. When the Falcons’ boys were finished, many gave vocal support to the Cox girls, who fell 5-1 to a Princess Anne team that has handled all Beach District opposition this year.
By reaching the finals, those teams ensured state tournament berths and will compete, likely Friday, in all-Hampton Roads semifinals against Region B entries, a trademark of recent Class 5 competition. The Cox boys will play host to Granby, while Hickory will meet Maury on Old Dominion’s courts.
The Princess Anne girls will host Nansemond River, while Cox’s girls will face Maury at ODU.
Victories by Neil Vanga at No. 1, Luca Gandolfo at 5 and Alex Ortiz at 4 put the Falcons ahead 3-0. The Hawks responded via wins from Gavin Hoeflich at 6 and William Katchmark at 2, but Cox went ahead 4-2 as Sam Dixon registered a 6-2, 6-7 (4-7), 1-0 (10-1) win at 3.
In doubles, the only Cox pair that lost the first set, Gandolfo and Matt Baan, won 3-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-8) for the clincher at line 3.
The PA girls moved in front 4-0 on straight-sets triumphs by Laine Kwong at 4 and Sophia Koch at 5, plus a 6-2, 1-6, 1-0 (10-2) victory by region singles champ Ashton Dillman at 1 and a 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 1-0 (11-9) win by Ysabel Wells at 3. Wells overcame an 8-4 deficit in the decisive tiebreak.
The Falcons extended the match for more than a half-hour as Wilamina Harris prevailed in three sets at 2, but Rino Sato’s victory at 6 enabled the Cavaliers to celebrate.
Class 4 Region A boys semifinal
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Grafton 5, Churchland 0: The top-seeded Clippers won at home against the Truckers to clinch a state tournament berth. Grafton will play host to defending champion Jamestown at 4 p.m. Thursday for the region title.
Class 4 Region A girls semifinal
Great Bridge 5, Grafton 3: The Wildcats ousted the Clippers in Chesapeake to book a pass to the state tournament. They will take on Jamestown for the region title, likely Thursday, before heading to a state quarterfinal.
Class 3 Region A individuals
Tabb siblings Nicolas Crespo and Valentina Crespo became first-time region singles champions on James River Country Club’s indoor courts in Newport News.
Valentina defeated teammate Malini Dharni 6-3, 6-1, then teamed with Dharni to overcome New Kent’s Katie Ross and Allie Smith 6-3, 6-1 for the doubles championship.
Nicolas’ path was far tougher, but he rallied for a 1-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-7) win against Lafayette’s Xavier Jones. The Rams got payback in the doubles final, though, as Jones and Gabriel Rosen-Turits edged Crespo and Matthew Wornom 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (10-5).
All of the Class 3 Region A champions will advance to state semifinals next week on Virginia Tech’s courts after the team competition is finished.
The boys team quarterfinals Friday include Goochland at Tabb and Lafayette facing Maggie Walker in Richmond. The girls team quarterfinals that day include James Monroe at New Kent, plus Lakeland against Maggie Walker in Richmond.