Boys' Tennis Game Summaries

Searching for a third straight North Allegheny PIAA AAA Doubles Championship on Saturday, the duo of senior Jared Isaacs and sophomore Richard Hofmann took the semi-final match at the Hershey Racquet Club but fell in the finals, taking home silver medals in the process. First they swept past the team of Dante Falcucci and Jacob Jastrzebski from Hershey High School, of District 3, in straight sets.

The championship match pitted the Tigers against Joe DeMarco and Matt DeMarco from Erie Cathedral Prep in District 10.  The first set saw the Tigers leading 6-5 in games but down 40-0 with the Ramblers serving. Battling back, Isaacs and Hofmann chipped away, broke serve, and claimed the set in thrilling fashion.  The second set saw a role reversal.  With a championship match point in their reach, and up 6-5, the Tigers missed an opportunity to break and win.  The DeMarco brothers held serve and won the subsequent tie-break and the third set.  The Tigers, WPIAL champions, completed a successful doubles year by sweeping every set in Section 2 and WPIAL competition, and in PIAAs before Saturday’s epic final.

Hofmann will return as a cornerstone of the program going into his junior year. Isaacs, a Duquesne recruit, completed one of the most successful individual seasons and careers in North Allegheny Tennis history.  He was the Section 2 singles champion, Section 2 doubles champion and WPIAL Doubles champion (with Hofmann), not to mention PIAA runner-up this season.  His overall career record in PIAA competition, including team play, was an astonishing 11-3.  He is the first Tiger to reach the PIAA finals, doubles or singles, for three consecutive years.  Congratulations to Jared!

Day Two, PIAA AAA Doubles Championship (5/28/16)

Semi-Final Round
Jared Isaacs/Richard Hofmann (NA) def.  Dante Falcucci/Jacob Jastrzebski (H) 6-2, 6-2

Championship Match
Joe DeMarco/Matt DeMarco (ECP) def. Jared Isaacs/Richard Hofmann (NA) 5-7, 7-6 (1), 6-3

Starting their defense of the PIAA AAA Doubles Championship Friday, the duo of Senior Jared Isaacs and sophomore Richard Hofmann began play at the Hershey Racquet Club and won both the first round and quarterfinal matches as representatives of the WPIAL.  The District 7 champion Tigers prevailed in straight sets in both matches. First they swept past the team of Nick Tull and Jackson Muralka from Cedar Crest High School, of District 3.  The quarterfinal match pitted the Tigers against Bryan Szayna and Danny Katz from Upper Dublin High School of District 1.  Following the successful first day, Isaacs and Hofmann will resume play Saturday morning against Hershey High School’s Dante Falcucci and Jacob Jastrzebski, with the semi-final match starting at 9 AM.

Day One, PIAA AAA Doubles Championship (5/27/16)

First Round
Jared Isaacs/Richard Hofmann (NA) def. Nick Tull/Jackson Muralka (CC) 6-3, 6-0

Quarterfinal Round
Jared Isaacs/Richard Hofmann (NA) def. Bryan Szayna/Danny Katz (UD) 6-2, 6-4

On the road at the Hershey Racquet Club early Friday morning, the 8^th seeded Tigers challenged the #1 seed and defending State Champion, Lower Merion, in the PIAA quarterfinal round.  When the balls stopped bouncing, the Aces defeated the Tigers 5-0 to move on to Saturday’s AAA semi-finals.  The young Tigers squad, making their first return trip to Hershey in three years, put up a fight but could not come up with a winning combination at any of the slots.  The Tigers’ 2016 season concludes with an overall 18-3 mark.

On the campaign North Allegheny reached the WPIAL Playoffs for the 34^st time in the last 35 years.  The Tigers also regained the Section 2 championship and finished as the WPIAL runner-up.  They enjoyed the long journey of the 2016 season and look forward to the challenges that will arrive in 2017.  As team play concludes, senior Jared Isaacs and sophomore Richard Hofmann look to defend their PIAA-AAA Doubles Championship in Hershey next week.  Play begins Friday, the 27th at 10:30 AM.

Match Summary

PIAA Championship-Quarterfinal Round (5/20/16) in Hershey, PA
Lower Merion-5 North Allegheny-0

Singles
#1  Matthew Chen (LM) def. Jared Isaacs (NA)  3-6, 7-6 (8), 7-6 (5)
#2  Thibault Vernier (LM) def. Richard Hofmann (NA) 6-3, 6-0
#3  Sean Attebery (LM) def. Ivan Voinov (NA) 6-3, 6-2

Doubles
#1  Lucas Kreutzer/Will Rieke (LM) def. Andrew Chuirazzi/Ethan Schenk  (NA) 6-1, 6-0  
#2 Jared Robinson/Simon Sheintoch (LM) def. Mark Chuirazzi/Jerry Huang (NA) 6-1, 6-3

The Tigers tennis squad continued its 2016 playoff journey with a first round PIAA match at the Club in Monroeville by sweeping District 8 representative, the Brashear Bulls, 5-0. The Tigers controlled the match from the start, with each contest ending in straight sets.  Singles winners were senior Jared Isaacs at number one along with sophomores Richard Hofmann and Ivan Voinov at two and three singles respectively.  The first doubles tandem was sophomore Andrew Chuirazzi paired with sophomore Ethan Schenk, while freshmen Mark Chuirazzi and Jerry Huang effectively managed the second slot.

Following completion of this first round win, the 18-2 Tigers will travel to Hershey, PA on Friday, the 20^th.  There, they will go against Lower Merion, the defending AAA champion and first seed in the tournament.  Match time on Friday is scheduled for 8:00 AM.

Match Summary: PIAA AAA Team Championship, First Round (May 17)
NORTH ALLEGHENY—5 Brashear—0

Singles
#1 Jared Isaacs (NA) def. Desmond Taylor (B)  6-0, 6-0
#2  Richard Hofmann (NA) def. Aldo Ramirez (B) 6-0, 6-0
#3  Ivan Voinov (NA) def. Nick Vignone (B)) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles
#2 Andrew Chuirazzi/Ethan Schenk (NA) def. Dalton Link/Kevin Goodbread (B) 6-0, 6-0
#1 Jerry Huang/Ethan Schenk (NA) def. Joe Connor/Zach Ventura (B) 6-1, 6-1

Playing at the Glen Creek Tennis Club Friday afternoon, the second seeded Tigers dueled with Fox Chapel for the WPIAL Championship but could not upset the top ranked Foxes, falling 3-2. The Tigers competed well and pushed the Foxes but could not find the consistency needed to gain the win.

Senior Jared Isaacs and sophomore Richard Hofmann held their own at one and two singles respectively while Andrew Chuirazzi and Ethan Schenk played solidly at one doubles.  Sophomore Ivan Voinov played his strongest match of the year, dueling Neil Bencherif of the Foxes.  Falling behind after the first set, Voinov rebounded with a spectacular 6-1 win in the second.  The third set saw many lead changes but Voinov stepped up with a variety of deft shots to take the third singles slot, 7-5, in a 2 ½ hour contest.  Not to be outdone, the freshman duo of Mark Chuirazzi and Jerry Huang played a 2 hour and 50 minute classic at number two doubles.   Not able to capitalize on a set point, they lost the first in a tie-break.  They then found a path to a 6-3 win in the second.  Falling behind 0-3 in the third, they chipped back and actually had a match point before settling for another tie break which they dominated, beating Kurran Singh and Jay Kashyap.

With WPIAL play completed, the 17-2 Tigers now set their sights on the PIAA State Tournament which begins first round play on Tuesday, May 17.  North Allegheny will play Brashear High School, winner of PIAA District VIII, at The Club in Monroeville at 2 PM.

Match Summary—WPIAL Final (5/13/16)
Fox Chapel—3   North Allegheny—2

Singles
#1  Robby Shymansky (FC) def. Jared Isaacs (NA) 7-5, 6-1
#2  Sidd Rajupet (FC) def. Richard Hofmann (NA) 7-5, 6-2
#3  Ivan Voinov (NA) def. Neil Bancheiref 3-6, 6-1, 7-5

Doubles
#1  Jared Nord/Tomi Fennell (FC) def. David Chuirazzi/Ethan Schenk (NA) 6-2, 6-1
#2 Mark Chuirazzi/Jerry Huang (NA) def. Kurran Singh/Jay Kashyap (FC) 6-7 (3), 6-1, 7-6 (1)