Rain Plagues Chaminade Tennis Finals

The Catholic high school individual tennis quarterfinals were supposed to run in succession with the playoff finals.

The weather had other ideas.

Originally scheduled to start this past Monday, rain forced the cancellation and a rescheduled set for Tuesday, then put off to Wednesday after more rain hit, and rescheduled again.

Thursday was an open day and as it turned out would have been the best day to play because the rain held out to later in the night.

Friday play resumed on the soggy courts at Hofstra University, but only partially some of the matches being called because the skies once again decided to open up.

“It's very frustrating this weather,” head coach Jim Quinn said. “Frustrating for the players and frustrating for the coaches.”

The Flyers got some of their matches in while a few others will have to be continued on Monday, barring the weather.

Chaminade first singles J.T Esposito faced St. John the Baptist’s Devin Ticcardi.

Despite slipping on the moist court a few times Esposito played strong defeating Ticcardi in straight sets, 6-2 6-4.

He will face St. Mary’s Justin Pagan on Monday in the semis.

Erik Lobben squared off against Kellenberg’s Richard Mitchell. The two players battled back and forth with Mitchell taking the first set 7-6. With Mitchell up 3-2 in the second the match was called off due to the slippery conditions.

Play will resume on Monday with the winner facing St. Anthony’s John D'Alessandro in the other semifinal.

In doubles Chaminade’s Chris Kutner and James Cason fell to St. Anthony’s Ryan Wennberg and John Sanders 6-1 6-3.

Wennberg and Sander’s than faced Chaminade’s Mike Lem and Rob Buetti in the next round.

With St. Anthony’s ahead halfway through the first set, play was terminated because of rain.

In the other doubles section St. Anthony’s Mike Granito and Alex Mannheimer knocked off Chaminade’s Pat O’Hara and Will Brosnan 6-2 6-3.