![The sophomores were recognized on the field instead of walking across the stage during their doubleheader. They received their diplomas and a picture of themselves playing during their career at Seward. [Pictured left to right are Dylan Day, Reed Thomas, Jase Schneider, Mason Martinez, Gannon Hardin, Brody Boisvert, and Zach Walker]](https://crusadernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/WEBDSC_0275-900x454.jpg)
Men and Women’s tennis sweep Region VI tourney, head to nationals
Sophomore Carlo Izurieta from Guayaquil, Ecuador became interested in tennis between the age of nine and ten. Izurieta enjoys tennis because he likes winning. “I like complicated games and win them. Losing isn’t bad as long as you learn from it.” After Iqurieta finishes up at SCCC, he would like to attend a division one university such as University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Middle Georgia State University or University of Wisconsin.
April 29, 2019
Over the weekend, the women and men’s tennis teams won the Region VI championships. The Lady Saints, who are ranked seventh, won their third consecutive title as Region VI champs and the Seward Saints won their fifth straight title in a row.
Seward hosted the tournament at Blue Bonnet Park on April 26 and 27. The tournament began on Friday and ended on Saturday. Seward County Community College played against two schools, Barton Community College, Cowley College. Hesston College was to be the amother team in the tournament, but is discontinuing its tennis program.
Freshman Alisa Handrugan, played doubles matches on Saturday during the Region VI Tournament. Handrugan won the doubles matches against Sara Martin Reguera and Herzoga from Barton Community College.
The tournament was single elimination with the top seeds getting first-round byes. With their strong showing all season, most of the Seward men and women managed to receive an extra day off. The players who did compete Friday advanced and helped the Saints complete a full squad for Saturday.
On Friday there were no doubles matches for the Saints. In singles, No. 2 Francisco Vargas defeated Oswaldo Cano of Barton, 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 and No. 3 Carlo Izurieta knocked off Sebastian Pino of Barton, 6-0, 6-1.
In the only doubles match for the Lady Saints, No. 3 Alisa Handrugan and Eva Liu took a default win over Sara Martin Reguera and Gabby Herzog of Barton.
In singles, No. 4 Sofia Belluco beat Gwendolen Sior of Barton, 6-2, 6-1, No. 5 Handrugan posted was victorious over Reguera, 6-3, 6-0 and No. 6 Liu won by default over Herzog of Barton.
On Saturday, Seward and Cowley were the last two teams standing with a chance to win. Barton had only one doubles team in order to advance.
On the men’s side, the doubles competition was fierce. In two of the matches, the Saints had to rally from a set down to win. No. 1 Sander Jans and Gabe Nery battled back to win over Angelo Tost and Bruno Suiama of Cowley, 5-7, 7-6, 6-4 and No. 3 Vargas and Izurieta squeezed out a victory over Valter Oshiro and Casey Edwards of Cowley, 6-7, 6-2, 7-5.
In singles, the Saints took care of business. It was not easy, but Seward swept and clinched the championship. No. 1 Rousset took care of Tost, 6-1, 6-0 and No. 2 Vargas defeated Suiama, 6-4, 6-2.
Freshman Francisco Vargas from Guadalajara, Mexico, became interested in tennis at the age of eight and was taught by his father at Guadalajara Country Club. After Vargas graduates from SCCC, he plans on going to another division one university.
On the women’s side, the Lady Saints jumped out to a lead in doubles. No. 1 Patricia Panta and Maria Aveiga prevailed in a three-set match with Georgina Kaindoah and Takalani Molaoa of Cowley, 6-3, 4-6, 6-1, No. 2 Alena Macharova and Sofia Belluco downed Mariana Rodriguez and Aletta Macheli of Cowley, 6-4, 6-4 and No. 3 Handrugan and Liu fell to Coraline Lamer and Margot Fontaine of Cowley, 6-0, 6-2.
In singles, there was no sweep, but there did not need to be one. The top three seeds won their matches and sealed a title for the Lady Saints. No. 1 Panta cruised past Molaoa, 6-2, 6-0, No. 2 Aveiga beat Allana Molnar of Cowley, 6-3, 6-4 and No. 3 Macharova defeated Macheli, 6-2, 6-2.
In the other matches, No. 4 Belluco fell to Kaindoah, 0-6, 6-7, No. 5 Handrugan lost to Fontaine, 3-6, 2-6 and No. 6 Liu was defeated by Lamer, 6-1, 6-4.
The tennis teams head to Nationals over the next two weeks. The women head to Tyler, Texas later this week while the men play in Tucson, Ariz. the following week.
