SCRANTON — There often is a lot of pressure on a program defending a championship.
The Scranton Prep girls tennis team is protecting the ultimate title, as the reigning PIAA Class 2A champion.
With all three starters in the singles lineup and doubles players back, the Classics have high expectations. So far, they passed every test, and that includes a 5-0 win over their most fierce rival, Abington Heights, on Monday.
Scranton Prep is undefeated at 8-0 and in the driver’s seat for another Lackawanna League championship. Abington Heights, the defending District 2 Class 3A champion, fell to 8-1.
“The Abington Heights players are all great, and it is amazing to have them during our season to get great competition,” Wigley said. “It is always going to be a good match. We look forward to it every year.
“Fourth year in a row, we got a win. I am happy that I ended it all four years. It is an honor to play them.”
Wigley is a four-year starter who thrives in the intense atmosphere of the Abington Heights showdown each season.
This type of high-level competition serves the two-time Times-Tribune Player of the Year well when Scranton Prep enters the postseason.
This year, as the Classics’ No. 2 player, Wigley defeated Sona Hanumali, also an All-Region player, 6-1, 6-0.
“Knowing that this is always a big match and an event every year is great,” said Wigley, who improved her career record to 70-4. “It is a great motivator to work hard. To have the atmosphere of having people here supporting us and supporting the other team, as well. It gets everyone to play at a whole different level.”
Lily Lengyel, a sophomore who earned the No. 1 slot in the Scranton Prep lineup in the offseason, had a tight battle with Abington Heights senior Susan Arp, the reigning District 2 Class 3A singles champion and All-Region player.
Lengyel won the first set, 6-2, then recovered from a 5-2 deficit to win, 7-5. She used a series of cross-court winners and moved Arp around the baseline to create openings in a bounce-back win after suffering her first loss of the season to Montrose’s Cara Evans on Friday.
“Susan is an amazing tennis player, and I wanted to come out and play my best tennis,” Lengyel said. “I think that is what I did. The team energy was insane, and that helped me get the match.
“I just needed to take a couple of deep breaths and play my game rather than get frustrated.”
Emma Cuck, a junior, is still undefeated. The Classics’ No. 3 singles play is arguably No. 1 on almost every team in the league, and she continues to mature with every victory.
She overcame some frustration that led her to shake her head through a couple of points, but the experienced player shrugged those off for a 6-3, 6-2 win over Amishi Amit to move her career record to 44-0.
“It is such a big rivalry,” Cuck said. “It was our toughest match, and we all just wanted to show up and play our best. This was a match where I had to raise my level. I was a little nervous. The first set, I was a little shaky and not focused. When I got more comfortable, I got back to playing like I usually play.”
Scranton Prep’s depth, which is key to postseason success, proved strong in a sweep of the doubles.
Ella Cohen-Grace Devine and Hannah LaCoe-Nicole Krakovich won in straight sets as the Classics won for the eighth straight match by a 5-0 score.
This weekend, Scranton Prep plays a pair of power programs from New Jersey.
On Saturday, the Classics play The Lawrenceville School, the team that handed them their only loss last season, and then the Peddie School on Sunday.
“I am very excited,” Cuck said. “I think these matches will show us where we are at and how much we have to work to get ready for the matches ahead in the postseason.”
At North Pocono, Noelle Holderith, Jessica Willson and Ceanna Williams swept the singles matches to lead Delaware Valley to a 5-0 win in a matchup between two strong teams.
At Montrose, Katie Fahey and Julia Farkaly had singles wins to lead West Scranton to a 4-1 win. Montrose’s Cara Evans improved to 10-0 at No. 1 singles.
Dunmore’s singles players Krithika Krishnan, Ava Ferraro and Sascha Novak had wins in a 5-0 win over Western Wayne.
At Honesdale, Mia Shencavitz-Tarynn Murray won at No. 2 doubles, and Alexis Mazzotta and Casey Morton each won singles matches to lift the Lady Hornets to a win over Riverside.
At Mid Valley, Hannah Pisarcik, Sadie Pappas and Molly Urban had wins to lead Holy Cross to a 5-0 win.
At Scranton, Wallenpaupack lost only two games in singles and doubles in its 5-0 victory.
Scranton Prep 5, Abington Heights 0
Singles: Lily Lengyel (SP) over Susan Arp, 6-2, 7-5; Alyssa Wigley (SP) over Sona Hanumali, 6-1, 6-0; Emma Cuck (SP) over Amishi Amit, 6-3, 6-2. Doubles: Ella Cohen-Grace Devine (SP) over Mary Booth-Sammy Rosenstein, 6-2, 6-0; Hannah LaCoe-Nicole Krakovich (SP) over Bernie Mullin-Jenna Follansbee, 7-5, 6-2. Records: SP 8-0, AH 8-1.
Delaware Valley 5, North Pocono 0
Singles: Noelle Holderith (DV) over Natalie Pagotto, 6-0, 6-0; Jessica Willson (DV) over Kara Erickson, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1; Ceanna Williams (DV) over Amaya Monacelli, 6-0, 6-0. Doubles: Kate Tamplin-Emma Strickley (DV) over Ella Jardine-Anna Clementoni, 6-7 (6), 6-2, 10-2; Ava Capeci-Maya Sussman (DV) over Belle Forgione-Ava Moran, 6-1, 6-2. Records: DV 7-1, NP 6-2.
West Scranton 4, Montrose 1
Singles: Cara Evans (MON) over Zarina Mustafina, 6-0, 6-0; Katie Fahey (WS) over Erin Tillotson, 6-1, 6-1; Julia Farkaly (WS) over Harleigh Smith, 6-0, 6-1. Doubles: Nina Emiliani-Nora Frounfelker (WS) over Lydia Sinkovich-Ziva Sodon, 6-1, 6-3; Giovanni Fiorillo-Chiara Pugliese (WS) over Lydia Sinkovich-Ziva Sodon, 6-1, 6-2. Records: WS 6-1, MON 2-8.
Holy Cross 5, Mid Valley 0
Singles: Hannah Pisarcik (HC) over Olivia Brzozowski, 6-3, 6-2; Sadie Pappas (HC) over Lismarie Mercado, 6-3, 6-4; Molly Urban (HC) over Regan Buranich, 6-1, 6-1. Doubles: Claire Polishan-Emma Woody (HC) over Mackenzie Adolfson-Abby Mackey, 6-2, 6-4; Natalia Matrone-Anna Polishan (HC) over Natalie Hricenak-Sam Magliocchi, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Records: HC 6-4, MV 2-5.
Dunmore 5, Western Wayne 0
Singles: Krithika Krishnan (DUN) over Cassidy Zeiler, 6-0, 6-0; Ava Ferraro (DUN) over Alecia Wertman, 6-2, 6-2; Sascha Novak (DUN) over Bella Kolp, 6-2, 6-2. Doubles: Maggie Jimmie-Loren Spudic (DUN) over Mady McClure-Emma Spewack, 6-1, 6-1; Danielle DePietro-Meredith Baker (DUN) over Kaylee Fischer-Madison Fiorgione, 6-0, 6-0. Records: DUN 3-6, WW 0-7.
Honesdale 3, Riverside 2
Singles: Anavi Nieves (RIV) over Morgan Wendell, 6-3, 6-2; Alexis Mazzotta (HON) over Sara McCullon, 6-2, 6-0; Casey Morton (HON) over Katherine Reynolds, 6-3, 6-2. Doubles: Sadonia Fanning-Jessdaly Torres (RIV) over Irene Smith-Dana Martin, 7-5, 6-3; Mia Shencavitz-Tarynn Murray (HON) over Kaysha Vasquez-Donna Murphy, 7-5, 6-3. Records: HON 2-6, RIV 0-8.
Scranton 3, Western Wayne 2
Singles: Lucy Bergman (SCR) over Cassidy Leiler, 6-2, 1-6, 6-0; Alicia Wertman (WW) over Paige Dougherty, 6-4, 6-2; Bella Kolp (WW) over Rachel Ramirez, 7-5, 6-3. Doubles: Vrunda Amin-Pal Patel (SCR) over Emma Spewack-Mady McClure, 6-3, 6-4; Dean Edwards-Sara Williams (SCR) over Kaylee Fischer-Madison Fiorgione, 6-2, 6-1. Records: SCR 1-7, WW 0-8.
Wallenpaupack 5, Scranton 0
Singles: Sarah Niemiec over Lucy Bergman, 6-0, 6-0; Alaina Burke over Fran Huffman, 6-0, 6-0; Soleil Wright over Vrunda Amin, 6-0, 6-2. Doubles: Victoria Latek-Cadance Danelski over Rashel Ramirez-Paige Dougherty, 6-0, 6-0; Samira Feller-Olivia Kogan over Sara Williams-Dean Edwards, 6-0, 6-0. Records: WAL 5-3, SCR 1-8.
