By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Covington Catholic freshman Brady Hussey became the fifth member of his extended family to win a 9th Region tennis championship on Wednesday when he defeated Covington Latin junior Kuzu Wantanabe, 6-2, 6-2, in the boys singles final at CovCath.
Hussey’s older brother, mom and two aunts were also region tennis champions. Each of them also won a state title in singles or doubles during their high school career. That’s something he’ll get a chance to do when he plays in his first state high school tournament two weeks from now.
Hussey lived up to his No. 1 seed in the region tournament by winning all three of his matches in straight sets. It was Wantanabe’s second loss in the region final. Two years ago, his older brother, Toshi, defeated him in the title match.
CovCath coach Al Hertsenberg said he expects Hussey to be among the top seeds for the state tournament because he has a history of high rankings by the U.S. Tennis Association to go along with winning the 9th Region championship.
The last local player to win a state championship in boys singles was Hussey’s older brother, Austin, in 2013 when he was a sophomore at CovCath.
In the region doubles final, fourth-seeded Ryan Bosch and Andrew Kennedy of CovCath upset top-seeded Eli Back and Eli Hornsby of Highlands, 7-6, 6-4.
This is the 14th consecutive year that CovCath has claimed the region doubles title.
Kennedy and Bosch were seeded No. 4 in the bracket because they had a 7-6 record in doubles matches during the season. But Hertsenberg was not surprised that they won the region title.
“Their record reflects more about the tough schedule they played this season,” the coach said. “They did not play many 9th Region doubles teams because we were giving our second doubles team chances to prove themselves. Back and Hornsby earned the No. 1 seed based on their record against 9th Region opponents. But I was confident Bosch and Kennedy had the ability to win the championship.”
CovCath won the region tournament team title for the 19th consecutive year with 15 points. Highlands was runner-up with 11. The top four finishers in both singles and doubles advance to the state tournament June 1-3 at the University of Kentucky.
The semifinals of the 9th Region girls tennis tournament will be played Thursday at Notre Dame with the top four seeds in singles and doubles facing off. The winners will compete in championship matches on Friday.
The top two seeds in girls singles are juniors Sara Wantanabe of Covington Latin and Ellie Zureick of Cooper. Two years ago, Zureick defeated Wantanabe in the region final and they’re expected to meet again in the title match.
Notre Dame has the top two teams in girls doubles. Lauren Janzaruk and Taylor Meenach are seeded No. 1 with Hailey Fullkenkamp and Samantha Bailey right behind them at No. 2. The last time the Pandas had two teams in the region doubles final was 2017.
Notre Dame and Beechwood are tied for first place in the team standings with nine points each. One of the doubles semifinal matches will be between players from those two teams.
9th REGION GIRLS TENNIS
Semifinal matches on Thursday at Notre Dame
SINGLES (Seeds before names)
1-Sara Wantanabe (Covington Latin) vs. 4-Martine Hue (Notre Dame), 3:45 p.m.
2-Ellie Zureick (Cooper) vs. 3-Katherine Taylor (Beechwood), 3:45 p.m.
DOUBLES (Seeds before names)
1-Lauren Janzaruk-Taylor Meenach (Notre Dame) vs. 3-Allyse Rassenfoss-Natalie Elleman (Conner), 5 p.m.
2-Hailey Fullkenkamp-Samantha Bailey (Notre Dame) vs. 4-Elizabeth Wintershiemer-Mehr Brar (Beechwood), 5 p.m.
QUARTERFINAL SCORES
SINGLES
Sara Wantanabe (Covington Latin) def. H. Valentine (Highlands), 6-1, 6-1
Martine Hue (Notre Dame) def. Paetyn Ashcraft (Villa Madonna), 6-2, 6-4
Katherine Taylor (Beechwood) def. Emma Hudson (Dixie Heights), 6-0, 6-1
Ellie Zureick (Cooper) def. Olivia Hoffmann (Highlands), 6-0. 6-0.
DOUBLES
Lauren Janzaruk-Taylor Meenach (Notre Dame) def. Creige-Lukey (Dixie Heights), 6-0, 6-1
Allyse Rassenfoss-Natalie Elleman (Conner) def. Haley King-Abby Sleet (Beechwood), 6-0, 6-1
Elizabeth Wintershiemer-Mehr Brar (Beechwood) def. Greene-Suttisatana (NewCath), 6-1, 6-3
Hailey Fullkenkamp-Samantha Bailey (Notre Dame) def. Jenna Berling-Rachel Gillman (St. Henry), 6-2, 6-4