Castleton State bests in-state rival Johnson State for NAC men’s tennis title
Castleton, Vt. – Castleton State College men’s tennis won the North Atlantic Conference championship for the second time in the three year existence of the tournament. Entering the tournament with a perfect 3-0 mark in conference play, the Spartans took home the title by out-scoring Johnson State, Thomas and Becker.
Castleton tallied 12 points in the tournament, winning 4 singles titles and 1 doubles title, and finishing second in two other brackets. Johnson State finished runner-up, earning 9 points, winning 3 titles, while placing second in 3 others. Thomas was third tallying 6 points, winning the #2 doubles, while placing second in 4 brackets. Becker was shut-out, losing first round matches in each bracket.
In number 1 singles action Castleton’s Justin Davis (Rutland, VT) faced off against Johnson State’s Trevor Kelson (Bridgewater, MA) in the finals. The two seniors split a pair of matches during the regular season. Kelson took the rubber-match 6-2, 6-0 and earned Most Valuable Player honors for the tournament. Castleton then went on to win singles titles in numbers 2 through 5. Robbie Gray (Red Bank, NJ), who was named NAC rookie of the week three times during the season won the #2 singles title, defeating Johnson State’s Jason Mann 6-2, 6-4 in the final. In number 3 singles Jessee Maranda (Waitsfield, VT), who was named NAC player of the week twice, defeated Dylan Louko of Johnson State 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. Jason Gramling (Hartford, VT) took home number 4 singles honors, defeating Thomas’ Corey McDonald (Jay, ME) 7-5, 6-4. Castleton’s Ted Panasci (Goshen, CT) defeated Matty Pirie (Connor Township, ME) of Thomas 6-2, 6-0 to take home the number 5 singles. In the final singles competition of the tournament, Johnson State’s Seth Pike defeated David Campbell (Connor Township, ME) of Thomas 6-3, 5-7, 6-0 to earn number 6 bragging rights.
Johnson State, Thomas and Castleton each took home a doubles crown, with Johnson State’s Kelson and Mann defeating the Thomas entry of David Gould (Norwood, ME) and Bryce Bryant (Lewiston, ME) 9-7. In number 2 doubles Thomas entry McDonald and Pirie took down Castleton’s previously unbeaten Gramling and Panasci 8-6. Castleton salvaged the number 3 doubles match with Maranda and Jeremy Henderson (Lyndonville, VT) defeating Johnson’s Nick Gendron and Ian Smith 8-3.
