Wolmer’s, Hillel top Best of Best Tennis Champs
WOLMER’S Boys’ and Hillel Academy won the boys’ and girls’ titles, respectively of the Fence Masters Best of the Best High Schools and Clubs Tennis Championships at the Eric Bell Tennis Centre recently.
Eighteen teams participated in both Division One and Division Two round-robin competitions comprising the best players in the high schools, with three teams coming from Montego Bay.
The Division One match between Wolmer’s and defending champion Campion College saw the National Heroes’ Circle-based, David Sanquinetti-coached aggregation pulling off a narrow 7-5 win in the doubles to clinch the tie 3-2.
It was a brilliant comeback by the Wolmer’s doubles pair of Damani Cain and Mario Campbell in the deciding doubles match, with the teams locked at 2-2. They came back from 1-5 down and one point from losing the match to win the next six points and register a thrilling 7-5 victory over the pair of Keyon’Dre Clarke and Richard Barnett.
Hillel Academy, coached by Rayne Russell, gained a 3-0 walkover win against Campion College, who did not report for their final match in the team competition. As a result, Hillel captured the girls’ Division One title. It was also to have been the deciding match in the tie, as both teams had won two matches in the team competition.
In the boys’ final, Damani Cain of Wolmer’s Boys’ lost to Keyon’Dre Clarke 1-6; his teammate Romeo Edwards beat Daniel Azar 6-0; Mario Campbell of Wolmer’s beat Richard Barnett 6-0; Joshua Graveney and Edwards lost to the Campion College pair of Cole McNair and Azar 0-5; Cain; and Campbell then beat Clarke and Barnett 7-5. Campbell was named the MVP.
Wolmer’s other wins in the six-team boys round robin competition were against Ardenne High 3-0, SOS Children Village from Montego Bay 3-0, Jamaica Pegasus Club 3-0; and Rankine Tennis Club from Montego Bay 3-2. Campion won four and lost one match.
Hillel Academy won the Division One girls’ title by topping the round-robin format with wins against all three opponents. They defeated Immaculate Conception High 3-1, defeated Errol Campbell Tennis Academy 3-0, and gained a 3-0 walkover win against Campion College, who failed to show. Campion won two matches, beating Campbell Academy 3-2 and Immaculate 3-0.
Emma Dibbs was named MVP for the Division One competition, while the other members of the team who played in the matches were Kathrine Dibbs, Moesha Fox, Zoe Scarlett and Eva Pinchers, with Rayne Russell as the coach of Hillel Academy.
Meanwhile, the boys’ Division Two team title was won by Hillel Academy who won their three matches in the round robin competition. Hillel defeated Campbell Academy 3-0; beat American International School of Kingston (AISK) 3-0, while gaining a 3-0 walkover win against St George’s College, who did not report for their match.
Blake Shoucair was named MVP of the Division Two competition, while the other members of the victorious Hillel winning team were Joel Villoria, Gabriel Azan and Simon Stephenson with Rayne Russell as coach.
The girls’ Division Two team event title was won by Montego Bay High School, who won all their three matches. The St James-based girls defeated Immaculate Conception 4-0, AISK 3-2, and Ardenne 3-0.
Abigail Perue was named MVP of the Division Two competition, with the other members of their winning team being Disha Jhingra, Nickayla Ward, and Zoe McKenzie, while their coach being Georgia Reid.