The Columbia HS boys tennis team members gather after winnign the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 state tournament championship, defeating Westfield 4-1 on June 2. Standing sixth from right is Columbia HS athletic director Sjocquelyn Winstead. (Photo Courtesy of Noah Fontil)
MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE — The Columbia High School boys tennis team got sweet revenge and it paid off with its first state sectional tournament title in 26 years.
The second-seeded Cougars, under head coach Steve Reichenstein, defeated Westfield 4-1 in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 state tournament championship on June 2.
It marked the program’s first state sectional title since 2000. The Cougars avenged last year’s loss to Westfield in the sectional final. The following are the CHS winners in the match:
Junior Riley Sayers defeated Justin Lee 6-3, 6-2 at second singles; senior Desmond Grainger defeated Evan Kahn 7-6 (7-1), 6-2, at third singles; junior Mason Beaupierre and sophomore Rafael Romanowsky defeated Leo Goldman and Jake Anderson 7-6 (7-1), 6-1 at first doubles; and senior Oliver Grauman and sophomore Chaz Webber defeated Arden Rappoport and Cooper Staneck 7-5, 7-6 (7-3) at second doubles. At first singles, senior Vaughn Lee dropped a 6-2-, 6-1 decision to Chris Winters.
The Cougars then faced Section 2 champion Livingston in the Group 4 state semifinals on June 4 at Mercer County Park in a matchup of Super Essex Conference teams. Columbia lost 3-2 to finish the season with a 14-8 record.
Grainger defeated Julian Turovets 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5) at third singles. Beaupierre and Romanowsky won at first doubles, defeating Jake Mandala and Arkit Shah 4-6, 7-5, 10-6. Livingston then lost to East Brunswick 4-1 in the Group 4 final later that day.
Photo Courtesy of Noah Fontil
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