Cougar netter is NJCAA runner-up
PLANO, Texas – The Barton Community College men's tennis team put a lid on the 2024 season with a 6th place finish this past week at the NJCAA Division I National Championships at Collin College.
The No. 4 ranked Cougars finished 19-9 in four days of competition. Four losses occurred in the quarterfinals or later.
Barton scored 28 points and placed sixth, one point behind Seward County. Tyler Junior College (46) edged Cowley College (44) for the NJCAA tennis title.
Advancing the furthest in the championship side of the bracket, No. 2 draw Gabriel Garay displayed his top seed ranking advancing to the National Championship match with three straight two-set victories. Facing second seeded and familiar opponent Reiya Komagata of Cowley, Garay's sights for a second victory over Komagata on the season drew short 6-3 and 6-0 settling for a national runner-up finish.
A pair of Cougars, Victor Alves in the No. 1 singles draw and Mateo Prado in the No. 5 slot, bounced back from their opening match losses to end the tournament with four and three straight victories respectfully to claim consolation titles.
Barton sent a trio of other singles into the quarterfinals with No. 4 draw and fourth seeded Shane Tapera the lone of the three advancing into the Semifinals before bouncing out to top seed and national runner-up Tomas Quesada Perez 6-1, 6-4.
No. 3 and eighth seeded Fernando Andre had his Cougar career end unexpectedly having to retire in the quarterfinal match against top seed and eventual national champion Alex Despoja of Tyler Junior College while No. 6 and fifth seeded Oliver Naude bowed out to fourth seeded Alexandr Achour 6-4, 6-2 to end his tournament at 1-1.
In doubles No. 2 draw and third seeded Garay and Tapera paced the trio of Cougar teams advancing to the semifinals before dropping 6-3 and 6-1 results to second seeded and eventual national champion Doni Gashi and Dan Persson of Tyler.
No. 3 pairing of Hayden Loffler and Naude had little trouble with their first opponent Coastal Alabama posting 6-3 and 6-2 results after receiving an opening bye. The run would end in the quarterfinals to fourth seeded Tyler 6-1, 6-2.
Seeded sixth in No. 1 doubles draw, Alves and Andre won their first match with 6-3 and 6-3 results before being upset by Iowa Central 7-6(2) and 6-3.
BARTON RESULTS
NO. 1 SINGLES NO. 4 Victor Alves (4-1)
Antonin Leborne (ABAC) def. Alves, 6-4, 6-3
Alves def. Asad Okoye (Mesa) 8-3
Alves def. Davis Rowton (Lewis & Clark) 8-1
Alves def. Blake Robertson (Coastal Alabama) 8-5
Alves def. Tristan Duval (Harford), forfeit
NO. 2 SINGLES NO. 1 Gabriel Garay (3-1
Garay def. Lucas Fox (Harford) 6-3, 6-2
Garay def. No. 8 Seth Seely (Colin College) 7-6(3), 6-4
Garay def. No.5 Sebastian De las Salas (Seward County) 7-5, 6-1
1ST—No. 2 Reiya Komagata (Cowley) def. Garay, 6-3, 6-0
NO. 3 SINGLES NO. 8 Fernando Andre (2-1)
Andre def. Andre Dogbefu (USC Sumter) 6-4, 5-7, 6-3
Andre def. David Voinea (Prairie State) 6-2, 6-4
No. 1 Alex Despoja (Tyler) def. Andre, retired
NO. 4 SINGLES NO. 4 Shane Tapera (2-1)
Tapera def. Derrick Namanya (Iowa Central) 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-2
Tapera def. No. 5 David Roseler (Seward County) 6-4, 6-4
No. 1 Tomas Quesada Perez (Eastern Florida) def. Tapera, 6-1, 6-4
NO. 5 SINGLES NO. 4 Mateo Prado (3-1)
Tadeo Missan (Iowa Central) def. Prado, 3-6, 6-2, 7-5
Prado def. Santiago Castillo (Coastal Alabama) 8-2
Prado def. Brock Dawson (Jacksonville) 8-2
Prado def. Knox Waterer (Itawamba) 8-4
NO. 6 SINGLES NO. 5 Oliver Naude (1-1)
Naude def. Sergi Forcadell (Coastal Alabama) 6-2, 6-1
No. 4 Alex Achour (Eastern Florida) def. Naude, 6-4, 6-2
NO. 1 DOUBLES NO. 6 Victor Alves & Fernando Andre (1-1)
Alves/Andre def. Guido Loayza/Ryan Roberson (Coastal Alabama) 6-3, 6-3
Amen Prince Gandonou/Hod'Abaio Isak Padio (Iowa Central) def. Alves/Andre, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3
NO. 2 DOUBLES NO. 3 Gabriel Garay & Shane Tapera (2-1)
Garay/Tapera def. Stan Long/Jakub Sevcik (USC Sumter) 5-7, 7-6(0), 7-5
Garay/Tapera def. Alex Holder/Santiago Torres (Pratt) 7-5, 6-0
No. 2 Doni Gashi/Dan Persson (Tyler) def. Garay/Tapera, 6-3, 6-1
NO. 3 DOUBLES NO. 5 Hayden Loffler & Oliver Naude
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(1-1)Loffler/Naude def. Jack Morris/Evan Stewart (Coastal Alabama) 6-3, 6-2
No. 4 Sam Al Tori/Calvin Golmei (Tyler) def. Loffler/Naude, 6-1, 6-2
