Seabreeze tennis teams take District 5-3A championship by storm

After three rain delays, the Sandcrabs girls and boys tennis teams won the tournament with a total of six singles and three doubles trophies.

  • By Michele Meyers
  • | 6:00 p.m. April 19, 2023
  • Ormond Beach Observer
  • Sports
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Two days of rain delays and squeegeeing courts could not stop the Seabreeze High School tennis team from out-serving its competition and bringing home the boys and girls teams’ District 5-3A championship on Friday, April 14.

The boys team went on to defeat Auburndale 4-0 in the regional semifinals on April 18. The Sandcrabs will host Lyman at 3 p.m. Thursday, April 20 at the Embry-Riddle tennis courts. The Seabreeze girls lost their regional semifinal against Orlando Edgewater 4-2.

In coach Trishna Patel’s second year she has put together a cohesive, dedicated team of players who respect each other and have passion for the sport.

“They are committed to each other, and they are also committed to the team,” she said. “When I first took the team on, I think they were all committed to tennis but I think over the course of the program and what was expected of them and everything that we’ve been through, now they are committed to each other. That’s something I’m totally proud of.”

Riya Arab won the No. 1 singles final 6-1, 6-1 against New Smyrna Beach’s Ava Epps. She also joined forces with partner Haylee Ochipa to win the No. 1 doubles final against Winter Spring’s Ava Grace and Ella Bates 6-2, 7-6. Arab and Ochipa are headed to the state championships to be held at Sanlando Park, April 24-25.

They are committed to each other and they are also committed to the team. When I first took the team on, I think they were all committed to tennis but I think over the course of the program and what was expected of them and everything that we’ve been through, now they are committed to each other. That’s something I’m totally proud of. — Trishna Patel, Seabreeze tennis coach

Ordinarily, Arab does not listen to music prior to competing, but lately it has been working. 

“I feel good,” she said. “I was really anxious, but when I got in the game, I felt a lot better and focused. I have to really focus before my matches. I just put my AirPods in and listen to music. (Before states) I am going to start practicing a lot more and hitting. I need to get my hits in and try to stay focused.”

Seabreeze No. 2 Haylee Ochipa and No. 5 Alana Karas won their singles finals against New Smyrna Beach players. No. 2 doubles partners Mary Kwetkus and Leena Harman defeated Lani Diemeir and Piper Lehmann of New Smyrna Beach 6-2, 7-5 for the district trophy.

Line one singles and doubles player Leo Kwetkus had been battling an infection the last three weeks of the regular season. Since he is a senior, Patel waited until the district tournament to make a last minute lineup change. Kwetkus played his No. 1 singles match but did not play doubles.

The Rasmussen brothers’ No. 2 doubles team was then split. Finn Rasmussen joined Bryce Gornto on the No. 1 team and Liam Rasmussen joined Ewan Noval on the No. 2 doubles team.

“I think we just need to stay calm and take our time,” Noval said. “We just need to slow down and stay positive.”

Noval won his singles match earlier in the day before rain put his doubles match on hold. After helping to dry the courts, he and Liam Rasmussen went on to become district champs, beating Lyman’s Joshua Swanson and Om Pande 6-3, 6-3.

“I don’t think I’ve won something like that really when playing tennis so it’s a nice feeling,” Noval said. “I just work my butt off to get better every day. It shows too when I play every single day.”

The Seabreeze boys went on to capture two additional singles trophies— freshman Hunter Shuler defeated Nathan Miller of Winter Springs 6-0, 6-4 at No. 2, and senior Finn Rasmussen defeated Agnivesh Kaundinya of Winter Springs 6-0, 6-0 at No. 3.

Going into regionals, Patel imparted a similar message to her team that she has stressed throughout the season.

“I think that it’s really more of the carry yourself, belief on, into the later stages of our season,” she said. “Play with a lot of heart just like you have been doing through districts. Adjust to your opponent. Continue doing everything you were doing last week and support each other.”

 

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