Brother Martin, Willow School win state tennis titles

Brother Martin and The Willow School captured LHSAA state championships Friday at the University of Louisiana-Monroe.

In the Division I team championship, the Crusaders edged rival Jesuit 12.5 to 11.5 for the title, giving Brother Martin its first state tennis title since 1987.

Neither Catholic League squad won an individual or doubles title but Reed MacAlester and Sal Trujillo of Brother Martin finished second in doubles while Joshua Verges of the Blue Jays was the singles runner-up.

Brother Martin’s Mitchell Armbruster reached the semifinals in singles and two other Crusader doubles teams – Max Edwards-Dillan LaFrance and Grant Brewer-Brandon Hezeau – each got to the quarterfinals.

Catholic of Baton Rouge was third with 9.5 points while Barbe finished fourth with 7.5 points. Lafayette was fifth with five points and St. Paul’s finished sixth with four points.

St. Thomas More captured the boys Division II title with 18 points with Neville second with 15 points. Vandebilt Catholic was third with seven points.

St. Louis Catholic took first in the boys Division III competition with 10.5 points. University Lab scored 6.5 points and Loyola Prep was third with 5.5 points.

Vermilion Catholic is the boys Division IV winner, scoring 8.5 points to edge St. Martin’s Episcopal, who finished second with 7.5 points. Ascension Episcopal finished third with 6.5 points. Patrick LaFouge of St. Martin’s won the singles championship.

In the girls competition, St. Joseph’s Academy is the Division I winner, winning easily with 17.5 points while Barbe finished second with eight points. Dominican and Mount Carmel Academy tied for third with five points each. Natalie Devraj of Mandeville was the singles runner-up.

In Division II, The Willow School captured the team championship, scoring 17.5 points with Vandebilt Catholic second with eight points.

Archbishop Hannan finishing third with 7.5 points. Neville scored six points and Ben Franklin was fifth with five points.

The Lions swept the singles competition with My-Anh Holmes downed teammate My-Linh Holmes in the final. In doubles, Claire Cancienne and Avery Lewis of Archbishop Hannan defeated Usha Ramdall and Maiou Zhang of The Willow School for the title.

In the girls Division III race, University Lab emerged victorious with 14.5 points with Newman coming in second with 8.5 points. Loyola Prep was third with six points while E.D. White Catholic and Academy of The Sacred Heart of New Orleans tied for fourth with five points. Frances Casbarian and Macy Montgomery of Newman finished second in doubles.

In Division IV, Vermilion Catholic made it a sweep, edging McGehee and St. Frederick for the title. Vermilion Catholic scored 9.5 points while McGehee and St. Frederick finished with 7.5 points. The team of Florence Dupuy and Ana King from McGehee came in second in doubles.