Five area Suburban One League products, headlined by two-time defending SOL Liberty champion Max Arkins, participated in the District One 3A singles tennis championships. The Springfield Delco YMCA hosted the tournament last Friday and Saturday.
CB East freshman Sal Ponamgi, the sixth seed, lost to WC East’s Ben Gao in the fifth-place match 6-0, 3-6, 6-1 on Saturday. Although only the top five finishers make states, Ponamgi made a statement to the district that his future is bright.
Ponamgi opened by beating Methacton junior Karun Jayaram 6-3, 6-3, then outlasted WC Henderson freshman Zach Evans 6-0, 5-7, 10-3 in the second round.
CB East sophomore and Ponamgi teammate Alan Zhang also had an impressive tournament, advancing to the quarterfinals, before retiring against second-seeded Ethan Sun of Conestoga. Zhang rallied to knock off Unionville’s Andrew Ou 3-6, 6-2, 11-9 then topped Owen J. Roberts’ Talan Nguyen 6-2, 6-2 in the second round.
Quakertown’s Arkins, the most decorated player in Panthers history, ended his high school career with a 4-6, 6-0, 12-10 first-round loss to Downingtown East sophomore Soumil Patel.
Sophomore Matt Brusca of Council Rock North, the SOL Patriot division champ, fell to Evans 6-1, 3-6, 10-3 in the first round. And in an all-SOL first round match, Pennsbury sophomore Frankie DeLuca defeated CB West junior Ruhaan Vaidya 6-4, 6-4.
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