The Pulaski Academy boys had their sixth consecutive Class 4A team title cinched before they even took to the courts Tuesday at Burn Park Tennis Center in North Little Rock, but the team title was only part of the story.
‘The guys took care of business,” Pulaski Academy Coach Bill Topich said. “Every one won the matches they were favored to win. It was workmanlike quality. None of the matches were all that close.”
Bruins singles players Brandon Nguyen and Anthony Tran earned six of the team’s 17 points, with Nguyen winning two matches before running into eventual singles champion Bradley Neil of Shiloh Christian in the semifinals.
Tran, the tournament’s No. 2 seed, won three matches before losing to Neil 6-4, 6-1 in the boys championship.
The Bruins dominated doubles competition, with Noah Becker and Jack Lewis beating PA’s second doubles team of Nathaniel Byrd and Jake Rogers 6-0, 6-0 in the final.
“It was a really deep team,” Topich said. “Strong players at all six spots.”
Pulaski Academy’s girls had a tougher battle, fighting off the challenge of Valley View, which had a chance to win the title with a victory in the doubles final.
Valley View junior Cydney Rogers was dominant in singles, winning the Class 4A individual title for the third consecutive year with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Joiner Love of Pulaski Academy.
The Lady Bruins made most of their noise in the doubles, with the team of Caroline Chambers and Lilly Hawkins reaching the semifinals before losing to the Valley View team of Allison Shinnaberry and Hannah Hyneman. Shinnaberry and Hyneman h e l d o f f C h a m b e r s and Hawkins in an extended match, 7-6, 0-6, 7-6 (7-2).
That left PA with a 12-11 lead over Valley View heading into the doubles final, where top seeds Julienne and Jaymie Angtuaco won 6-2, 6-2 to clinch the title.
“Last year, it was the same thing,” Julienne Angtuaco said. “We were all so close. The guys, they always have it down, but for us, there’s always a lot of pressure on us. Especially this year, because we’re trying to repeat.”
Julienne, a junior, and Jaymie, her freshman sister, watched teammates Chambers and Hawkins nearly c l i n c h t h e title for them against Shinnaberry and Hyneman.
“ T h e i r loss was hard on all of us, and it helped motivate us for the last round,” Julienne Angtuaco said. “We obviously wanted our own team to win. Either way, we would have given it our all.”
Jaymie Angtuaco said it was gratifying to win a state title as a freshman, and both girls laughed when asked who was the better player.
“ We b o t h h a v e o u r strengths and weaknesses,” Jaymie Angtuaco said. “That’s why we work best as a team.”
Neil, the
singles champ i o n , w a s a o n e - m a n team for Shiloh Christian, a c c o u n t i n g for six of its seven points while entertaining spectators with a fist-pumping style in his victory over Tran in the singles final.
It was a close match until Neil hit a screaming shot between his legs in return of a Tran volley.
Tran clapped his hands and shook his head after the shot.
“It was too good not to clap,” Tran said.
Neil, at 6-2, 190 pounds, said he thought the shot turned the momentum.
“Shots like that really fire you up,” he said. “We were in a tight match. I think that helped me win the first set.”
Tran said he is getting used to Neil’s powerful strokes, but he is still short on experience.
“I started playing in eighth grade,” Tran said. “He’s been playing since he was little, like 5.”
Tran said he took no offense to Neil’s grunts, groans and style that played to a small group of teammates and family seated at court side.
“I love it whenever my opponent is having fun,” he said.
Neil has always played to the crowd.
“Since he was a baby,” his mother, Tammy Neil, said.