Boys' Tennis Game Summaries

by: Boys Tennis Contributor

At this weekend’s PIAA Championships, North Allegheny’s Advaita Sircar breezed through the first three rounds to reach the finals where he won the silver medal. The sophomore superstar’s bid to become NA’s first State Singles Champion in nearly 50 years, fell just short. Still, Sircar continues to etch his name into Tiger lore as he became just the fourth North Allegheny netter to reach the PIAA Singles Championship, and the first in 20 years.

On Friday afternoon, Sircar faced off against the District 10 champion from Erie McDowell, David Mikotowicz. The Tigers’ ace made quick work of the Trojan’s freshman defeating him in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2. This set up an evening clash with Conestoga’s second singles player, senior Michael Gao. The sophomore sensation was nearly flawless as he pounded serve after serve past the Pioneer. Sircar won the first nine points of the match and sailed through the first set without dropping a point on serve. The second set was more of the same as he cruised to another 6-1, 6-2 victory.

On Saturday morning, the talented Tiger would seemingly have a tougher match with Gao’s teammate, Conestoga’s 1^st singles player and District 1 champion, sophomore Ethan Sun. However, Sircar once again came out with blistering serves and a relentless groundstroke game. Sun had no answers for the endless array of shot making Sircar would throw at him as the Tiger punched his ticket to the final, 6-0, 6-1.

In the championship match, Sircar would square off against the consensus tournament favorite, Daniel Boone’s Chase Gerloff. Most in attendance seemed to believe the Blazer would run away with the title, but NA’s star had other plans. The pair traded service holds early before Gerloff got an early break to go up 3-2. Undaunted, Sircar quickly broke back to even the score at 3-3. Several more holds by both found them knotted at 6 and headed to a set tiebreak that Gerloff was able to wrestle away. The second set continued in a similar fashion as the two traded powerful groundstrokes. Ultimately, Gerloff prevailed 7-6 (1), 6-3.

For complete PIAA Singles results, click here.

The tournament caps off an outstanding sophomore campaign by Sircar as the young Tiger continues to prove he is one of the top players in the state and a force to be reckoned with in the future.

by: Boys Tennis Contributor

North Allegheny’s season came to an abrupt end on Friday afternoon at Hershey Racquet Club as they were tripped up by Unionville, 3-2 in the PIAA Quarterfinals.

The Longhorns got on the board first with a win at 1^st doubles. After doubling their lead with a win at 3^rd singles, it looked like the Longhorns were going to run away with the match. However, the Tigers had other plans.

After getting off to an unusually slow start at 1^st singles by dropping set number one, 6-1, sophomore sensation Advaita Sircar came roaring back to take the second and third sets by identical scores of 6-3. The win trimmed the Unionville lead in half. Junior Evan Kaufman battled through an intense match at 2^nd singles to even the match score, 2-2, with a 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 victory.

All eyes then turned to 2^nd doubles where the match would be decided. Sophomores Shivum Telang and Ronit Ginde shook off some early nerves and a first set loss to claim the second set. This set up a winner-take-all third set. With hundreds of spectators cheering raucously from the stands, Unionville raced to a 5-3 lead, and it looked as if all hope was lost. But these Tigers don’t go away quietly. As day turned into night, the tandem rallied by winning three consecutive games to go up 6-5. Unfortunately, they ran out of luck in the decisive tiebreaker and fell, 7-4 to end the over three-hour marathon match. The pairs’ valiant effort earned them “Men of the Match” honors.

The team’s successful 2025 campaign concluded with a final record of 16-3. There is still some work left to be done for Sircar. The Tigers’ ace will travel back to Hershey next weekend to compete in the PIAA Singles Championships on May 23 and 24.

Boys Tennis Summary vs. Unionville, 5-16-25

by: Boys Tennis Contributor

The North Allegheny boys’ tennis team returned to their winning ways in a PIAA first-round playoff match against Allderdice less than a week after falling in the WPIAL Championship. The Tigers rebounded nicely to take care of business with a 5-0 thrashing of the host Dragons.

Sophomore sensation Advaita Sircar shook off any lingering effects of his first loss in a team match in over a year to dominate Barak Raz at 1^st singles, 6-0, 6-0. Junior Evan Kaufman similarly responded with a strong performance at 2^nd singles to trounce Will Kuchera, 6-2, 6-2 and the Tigers were off and running. Needing just one more point to clinch the match, the all-captain doubles team of senior Nick Scheuring and junior Adhav Ramadas punched the Tigers ticket to Hershey with a 6-2, 7-5 win at 1^st doubles.

Despite a lengthy break between sets, senior Sri Thirumala remained unfazed and, with a rare burst of emotion, throttled Hari Arunachakan at 3^rd singles, 6-3, 6-1. This performance, in one of his final four performances in the black and gold, earned Thirumala “Man of the Match” honors.  Finally, 2^nd doubles wrapped up their match and the sweep with a 6-3, 6-4 thrashing of their Dragon foes. It is the 4^th shoutout in the last 5 playoff matches for NA. The team is now 16-2 on the season.

North Allegheny advances to the PIAA Quarterfinals where they will take on Unionville, the fourth-place finisher out of District 1. Match time is set for 4:00 PM on Friday at Hershey Racquet Club.

Boys Tennis Summary at Allderdice, 5-13-25

by: Boys Tennis Contributor

It wasn’t the result the Tigers were looking for as they traveled south to Washington & Jefferson College for the WPIAL Team Championship. For the third year in a row, North Allegheny took on the Gateway Gators in the WPIAL Final. Having split the previous two seasons, it was the Gators who took the rubber match, 3-2.

North Allegheny’s depth was evident right from the start as they dominated both doubles just as they did a year ago. Senior captain Nick Scheuring paired with junior captain Adhav Ramadas to stake the top-seeded Tigers to an early 1-0 lead by winning 6-0, 6-0 at first doubles. The all-sophomore tandem of Shivum Telang and Ronit Ginde quickly doubled the lead by throttling their opponents at second doubles, 6-2, 6-1.

All NA needed now was a win at singles, but alas it wasn’t meant to be on this day. Senior star Sri Thirumala battled valiantly at 3^rd singles but fell 6-2, 6-1. Sophomore sensation Advaita Sircar staged a strong comeback in the first set at 1^st singles, but faltered, 6-3, 6-1. All eyes turned to 2^nd singles where junior Evan Kaufman fought hard, but was tripped up, 7-6 (3), 6-4.

Nonetheless, the season isn’t over for the Tigers. They have advanced to the PIAA Team Championships next week. The team will play a first-round match on Tuesday. Opponent, site, and time are to be determined.

Match Summary

05/07/25

North Allegheny 2   Gateway 3

Singles
#1  Adam Memije (GATE) def. Advaita Sircar (NA) 6-3, 6-1
#2  Zidaan Hasaan (GATE) def. Evan Kaufman (NA) 7-6 (3), 6-4
#3  Logan Memije (GATE) def. Sri Thirumala (NA) 6-2, 6-1

Doubles
#1  Adhav Ramadas/Nick Scheuring (NA) def. Troy Boden/Abdulwasay Syed (GATE) 6-0, 6-0
#2  Ronit Ginde/Shivum Telang (NA) def. Abuzar Hameez/Isaac Sha (GATE) 6-2, 6-1

by: Boys Tennis Contributor

For the second time in eleven days, North Allegheny took on the Panthers of Upper St. Clair. While the first meeting was a friendly exhibition match, this time much more was at stake—a trip to the WPIAL Championship Match. Therefore, the Tigers did what they have done so often this season and shut out their opponent.

North Allegheny got on the board first thanks to a wonderful performance by their team captains at 1^st doubles. Senior Nick Scheuring and junior Adhav Ramadas took control early and breezed to a 6-1, 6-3 win. The decisive victory gave the team a lead it wouldn’t relinquish and was enough to earn the pair “Men of the Match” honors. Following in the same vein, the 2^nd doubles team of sophomores Shivum Telang and Ronit Ginde silenced their opponents by an identical score of 6-1, 6-3 to double NA’s lead to 2-0.

As the skies grew dark with imminent rain, all eyes turned to the singles matches to see if NA could finish off the win before the weather had a say and potentially granted USC a temporary reprieve. Senior standout Sri Thirumala would have none of it. After a close back and forth first set, the Tiger netter saw his chance to end the match and quiet the raucous Panther supporters. Thirumala clinched the victory at 3^rd singles with a 6-4, 6-0 win to advance the #1 seeds to the championship for the third straight season.

Shortly thereafter, sophomore sensation Advaita Sircar finished off his worthy adversary at 1^st singles, 6-3, 6-3 to leave no doubt as to who was the better team on this day. Sircar is still unbeaten in dual match play for NA this season.  Finally, junior Evan Kaufman struggled early on, but once again came roaring back. Unfortunately, lightning in the area precluded him from completing the comeback as the match was called just as he found his stride, 4-6, 6-2 (DNF)

Up next, the Tigers will take on the Gateway Gators in the WPIAL Championship Match for the third time in a row. The teams split the previous two meetings with Gateway winning in 2023 and the Tigers prevailing last season. The match will be held at the Janet L. Swanson Tennis Center at Washington & Jefferson College on Wednesday at 2:00 PM.

Boys Tennis Summary vs. Upper St. Clair, 5-5-25