The George Mason High School boys tennis team won the Region B Championship last Friday with a 6-0 shutout against Randolph Henry at Wakefield High School.
Each Mason singles player won his match, forgoing the need for doubles play.
“Right now we have had the perfect storm of both facing opponents that are making too many unforced errors and our team creating winners and constantly breaking our opponent’s serves games putting more pressure on the opposing team,” Sowers said.
Kan Tagami, Jay Rodock, Karl Campanella-Dysart, Tommy Weber, Nate Jones and Daniel Fletcher each won for the ‘Stangs.
The win marks the 13th win and 10th shutout for the Mustangs this season, who sole loss on the year came during a regular-season match against Episcopal High School. It is also the ninth consecutive regional title the boys have brought home, a feat matched only by the boy’s tennis team under Coach Al Krueger in the late 80s and early 90s.
The win comes as no surprise to Coach Matt Sowers, as last week his top singles player (Tagami) and doubles team (Tagami and Rodock) both won regional titles going up against players they would face again in the team tournament.
“When we take arguably our best No. 1 and No. 2 players and beat a team that we may have to play again in a regional match-up, I come away from the singles tournament and doubles tournament knowing that I will have a solid chance of winning the match with my No. 1 and/or No. 2 players both winning their singles matches and their doubles matches if we need them,” Sowers said.
The Mustangs will travel to Radford for the semi-finals, the next stop on their road to defending their state title.
Weber was named Man of the Match, his fourth time earning the honor this season. In an end-of-the-year awards ceremony Monday, additional honors were awarded to players on the team. Tagami was named the most valuable singles player for his second singles regional tournament win and Campanella-Dysart and Weber won the doubles co-most valuable partner award for their 12-0 season record.
The team will be back in action at Radford University this Friday at 1 p.m. when they face Region C champion Glenvar High School. If the Mason wins the match, they will face the winner of Region D champion Lee High and Region A champ Appomattox Regional Governor’s School for the state title.
If the ‘Stangs win it alll, they will tie Maury High School’s 14 state titles, the most in the state championship.
