For the first time in almost 25 years, the CB East boys tennis team has a shot at the state title.
On May 7th, the team beat Radnor High School 3-0 to secure fifth place in the PIAAA District 1 team draw, which meant that they would have the chance to go to state. Sophomore Alan Zhang won in 2nd singles, freshman Jerry Cheng and sophomore Seth Patel won in 1st doubles, and junior Fedir Knyazkov and senior Aaron Rose won in 2nd doubles. Freshman Sal Ponamgi and sophomore Devin Yang were winning in their 1st and 3rd singles matches respectively but did not need to finish as the team had already won three of five matches.
They went on to win their first round in the state tournament, beating Dallastown High School (who also happen to be the PIAAA District 3 champs) 3-2 in Hershey on May 14th. They need to win 3 more matches to win the state title. For freshman Sal Ponamgi, this is a terrific prospect.
“I feel really excited about what’s to come, especially since we are making CB East history,” said Ponamgi. “Our team is well trained and prepared to take on states, and I think we will only get better in the coming years.”
Notably, Ponamgi and teammate Zhang placed third in the District 1 doubles draw (there are separate tournaments for teams, singles, and doubles), which means they will have another run of their own.
The team’s excellence is reflected not only in their early performance at states but also in their entire season. It is one of the strongest teams that East has had in years, with only two losses. The team seems to work together well and there is a lot of positivity and support between the members of the team. Prior to their states run, they recently won the entire Suburban One League, a testament to their skill, work ethic, and connection to each other.
This Friday, the team will face Downington East to determine who will advance to the semifinals. Good luck, Patriots!
