By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Covington Catholic seniors Anthony Bosch and Jared Haught won Region 9 boys’ tennis championships in singles and doubles for the second consecutive year on their team’s home court Wednesday.
Bosch defeated CovCath junior Max Cook, 6-4, 6-2, in a rematch of last year’s singles final. The doubles match was also a showdown between CovCath teammates with Haught and Benito Trojani defeating Evan Gardner and Cristiano Trojani, 6-2, 6-2.
Last year, Haught won the doubles title with his older brother, Jake, as his partner.
CovCath took the regional team title for the 16th consecutive season. This year, one point was awarded for each victory in singles and doubles to determine the team champion. The Colonels finished with the highest point total and Ryle placed second in the team standings.
In the 10th Region tournament, Campbell County freshman Anderson McDowell claimed the boys’ singles title with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Brad Reed of Bellevue in the finals on Wednesday at Harrison County High School.
Peter Laskey and Jeff Schenk of Highlands took the Region 10 boys’ doubles title with a 6-1-6-2 win over Mike Dewald and Dillon Feltner of Pendleton County. Campbell County finished on top in the boys’ team point standings.
Mason County swept the singles, doubles and team titles in the 10th Region girls’ tournament. Tessa Gray defeated Mia Smith of Highlands, 6-0, 6-2, in singles. Haley White and Mallory Conrad defeated Jana Riffe and Elizabeth Schwalbach of Highlands, 3-6, 6-3, 10-4, in doubles.
Highlands finished second in the Region 10 girls’ team standings after winning the team title for 12 straight years.
The Region 9 girls’ tennis tournament will resume Thursday at Lloyd High School with semifinal matches in singles and doubles. If it rains, the matches will be played indoors at Four Seasons.
The top four finishers in singles and doubles in each region receive berths in the state tennis tournament May 18-20 in Lexington.
State tennis tournament qualifiers
GIRLS SINGLES
9th Region — Elizabeth Hamilton (Ryle), Lauren Fley (Notre Dame), Elly Zureick (Cooper), Claire Johnson (Beechwood).
10th Region — Mia Smith (Highlands), Natalie Smith (Campbell County), Paxton Glenn (Campbell County).
BOYS SINGLES
9th Region — Anthony Bosch (CovCath), Max Cook (CovCath), Cole Moss (Calvary Christian), Toshi Watanabe (Covington Latin).
10th Region — Anderson McDowell (Campbell County), Brad Reed (Bellevue), Colin Rizzo (Highlands).
GIRLS DOUBLES
9th Region — Bailey-Meyer-Hogan (Notre Dame), Bowling-Berkemeier (Simon Kenton), Moore-Atkinson (Dixie Heights), Kylie Moellering-Catherine Meadows (Notre Dame).
10th Region — Elizabeth Schwalbach-Jana Riffe (Highlands).
BOYS DOUBLES
9th Region — Jared Haught-Benito Trojani (CovCath), Evan Gardner-Cristiano Tojani (CovCath), Nathan Conner-Kustis Kalbaugh (Ryle), Max O’Leary-Jonah Shields (Ryle).
10th Region — Peter Laskey-Jeff Schenk (Highlands), Bertsch-Coyle (Campbell County), Wells-Huber (NewCath)