WHEELING – The Buckhannon-Upshur No. 1 doubles duo on Aden Pitts and Caden Andrick earned a spot in the West Virginia State Tennis Championships during the Region I Tournament held at John Marshall High School and The Bubble in Wheeling last Thursday and Friday.
Pitts and Andrick defeated Andrew McClellan and Andrew Lerfald of University by an 8-2 score in the first round.
They lost their second round clash to Ty Gandy and Paul Hong of Bridgeport by an 8-3 score but won the consolation match for third place against Wheeling Park’s Braeden Keen and Wyatt Andrews by an 8-4 score.
The top three No. 1 doubles teams advance to states.
Andrick also earned a trip to the state tournament in singles action at No. 2.
Andrick downed University’s Salah Abunnaja (5-0, forfeit) in the opening round but lost Morgantown’s Bennett Hall in the second round by an 8-3 score.
He won the third-place consolation match against Andrews of Wheeling Park by an 8-5 score.
The top three players at No. 2 advances to states.
“The best take away from the tournament was that Caden and Aden are going to states, so we are really proud of them,” remarked Buckhannon-Upshur head coach Jason Rock.
In singles action, Mauricio Menendez at No. 3 and Hank Phillips at No. 4 both won their first round matches. Pitts dropped an 8-6 decision at No 1 in the first round.
“Aden was so close to pulling out a win in singles and played his heart out,” stated Rock. “Menendez was battling sickness but played really well in singles and was a few points away from making it to states. Phillips played the eventual champion and it was a good learning experience to play against someone who plays with a very similar playing style to himself. Ultimately Bridgeport and Morgantown are better teams which proved to be true in tournament play but Aden and Caden making states made a long few days of tennis worth it.”
The three-day state tournament will begin in Charleston on Thursday.
Buckhannon-Upshur results
Singes (First Round)
No. 1 – Braeden Keen (Wheeling Park) def. Aden Pitts (8-6)
No. 2 – Caden Andrick (Buckhannon-Upshur) def. Salah Abunnaja (University) (5-0, forfeit)
No. 3 – Mauricio Menendez (Buckhannon-Upshur) def. Aiden Warrick (Brooke) (8-4)
No. 4 – Hank Phillips (Buckhannon-Upshur) def. Kendrick Fish (Brooke) (8-2)
Second Round
No. 2 – Bennett Hall (Morgantown) def. Caden Andrick (Buckhannon-Upshur) (8-3)
No. 3 – Adien Aggarwal (Morgantown) def. Mauricio Menendez (Buckhannon-Upshur) (8-6)
No. 4 – Wyatt Abbitt (Morgantown) def. Hank Phillips (Buckhannon-Upshur (8-1)
Consolation
No. 2 – Caden Andrick (Buckhannon-Upshur) def. Wyatt Andrews (Wheeling Park) (8-5)
Doubles (First Round)
No. 1 – Aden Pitts and Caden Andrick (Buckhannon-Upshur) def. Andrew McClellan and Andrew Lerfald (University) (8-2)
No. 2 – Tyler Van Camp and Kendrick Fish (Brooke) def. Mauricio Menendez and Hank Phillips (Buckhannon-Upshur) (4-4 forfeit)
No. 3 – Evan Stingle and Disaia (Wheeling Park) def. Bailey Cleavenger and Donovan Bailey (Buckhannon-Upshur) (8-1)
Second Round
No. 1 – Ty Gandy and Paul Hong (Bridgeport) def. Aden Pitts and Caden Andrick (Buckhannon-Upshur) (8-3)
Consolation
No. 1 – Aden Pitts and Caden Andrick (Buckhannon-Upshur) def. Braeden Keen and Wyatt Andrews (Wheeling Park) (8-4)
