Braden River falls to Barron Collier in state tennis quarterfinals
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS -- Braden River High School's boys tennis team fell 5-1 to Naples Barron Collier in the Class 3A state quarterfinals on Wednesday at Sanlando Park.
The Pirates won one of the two doubles matches, but the Cougars, who won the state championship in 2014, won all four of the completed singles matches to earn the victory.
"I'm very proud of my student-athletes," Braden River head coach Straub said. "They did very well. We came across a good team, and we were actually in every match."
Braden River's win came in the No. 2 doubles match, when freshman Sebastian Bucarion and junior Xavier Muzquiz defeated Barron Collier's Seth Loerzel and Bryan Twente 7-5, 6-2.
Philippe Nino and Bjorn Rosenquist of Barron Collier took the other doubles match, defeating freshman David Ojeda-Forigua and junior Race Arande 6-0, 6-2.
But singles was all Barron Collier.
Nino defeated Ojeda-Forigua 6-3, 6-2 in the No. 1. Rosenquist prevailed 6-1, 7-6 (7-3) over Arande at No. 2. Twente won 6-1, 7-5 over Bucarion at No. 3, and Bradley Pinosky defeated Chris Economides 6-4, 6-2.
"(Barron Collier) came up big on a few points here and there, and that's how a set can get decided. It usually just comes down to a few points," Straub said.
The No. 4 singles match between Muzquiz and Loerzel was not completed because Barron Collier had clinched the team victory.
The FHSAA state championship appearance was the first for Braden River (11-3) since 2009.
"We did pretty good to get to states," Ojeda-Forigua said.
"We won districts; we won regionals. It's been a good season. I'm really proud of the team."
Now the Pirates are looking forward to the 2017 season. Two of Braden River's top three players, Ojeda-Forigua and Bucarion, are freshmen. Every member of the team is scheduled to return.
"(This is) going to motivate us a lot," Ojeda-Forigua said. "I had fun here, and I want to come back next year. I'm obviously disappointed to lose today, but I know we're good and next year we can do better."
Straub intends to shift the focus immediately.
"We'll sit down and we'll discuss the things that we were successful at and the little areas of improvement that we can all work on, and we'll get it done," Straub added. "They're good kids, they like playing with each other and they've learned to fight for each other and try to win for each other."
Girls tennis
CLASS 4A -- Lakewood Ranch's Gia Cohen reached the semifinals in the Class 4A girls individual tournament on Tuesday at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs before falling to the eventual state champion Alana Wolfberg of Orlando Timber Creek.
Cohen fell 7-5, 6-3 to Wolfberg, whom she had beaten in their previous meeting during a USTA event. The two freshmen already have a long history as they have moved through the junior tennis ranks.
Wolfberg, who finished the high school season undefeated, earned the title when her finals opponent, Rehaana Butt of Clearwater Countryside, retired while trailing 6-1, 1-0.
This story was originally published April 13, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Braden River falls to Barron Collier in state tennis quarterfinals ."