Eagles capture county boys tennis tournament

After three second-place finishes in the Ashtabula County Boys Tennis Tournament, LJ Stark was determined to claim a title.

The senior accomplished that mission, earning a hard-fought 6-3, 6-4 win at first singles for his individual championship.

Stark's title was one of four the Eagles attained Tuesday at Saint John School.

Geneva scored 28 points to win the team crown for the first time in three years.

Saint John took second with 24 points, followed by Edgewood at 23, both Jefferson and Lakeside 11 and Conneaut eight.

"I'm proud of the boys," Eagles coach Michael Rose said. "They fought against a great group of players from the across the county."

Stark captured his win over Saint John freshman Kenton Zheng.

"It was one of my goals," Stark said of claiming an individual title. "My team needed it, and I needed it."

Rose was proud of Stark.

"LJ came in with a lot of confidence," Rose said. "He was ready."

The other Eagles first-place finishes were from Myles Colgan at second singles; Logan Willsey and Isaiah Rose first doubles and Shayne Miniard and Wyatt Jones, second doubles.

"Myles just fought and didn't quit," Rose said. "Our third singles [Luke Simmons] got us key points.

"The first-doubles team has been playing well all season, and second doubles didn't feel like they played their best, but gutted it out. We were in the finals four times last year and lost all of them."

Colgan defeated Saint John's Christian Barbian 2-6, 6-2, 13-11, Willsey and Isaiah Rose topped Saint John's Bobby Shinault and Jaylin Streit 6-1, 6-1 and Miniard and Jones beat Edgewood's Brady Vencill and Ethan Walker 7-5, 7-5.

Heralds coach Todd Nassief was pleased with his young squad.

"They work really hard," he said. "To come in second, I'm ecstatic. Kenton has come such a long way. He's been working real hard, and it's starting to show.

"Christian and Myles are great friends, hats off to Myles. Our third singles and first doubles both made the finals, and our second doubles team [Daniel Phillips and Alex Echeverria-Lua] lost to a good Edgewood team."

Edgewood's Nick DeFazio won the third-singles title with a 2-6, 6-4, 10-3 decision over Saint John's Kaleb Elek.

"Nick is determined," Warriors coach Renee Mattson said. "Once he gets going, he really finishes it."

The Dragons received fourths from Justin Fahnestock at third singles, and Sherman Kirkland and Aaron Foster, second doubles.

"Everyone played well," Lakeside coach Spencer Selman said. "We'd like to finish above .500, and have some winnable matches."

For the Falcons, Ben Brand, second singles, and Connor Kovach and Gavin Furman, first doubles, both posted fourth.

Conneaut's Malte Strosina finished fourth at first singles.