Posted: Apr 29, 2022
Following a lengthy two-year pandemic and many obstacles standing in their way, members of the Roadrunner Men's Tennis Team roared back to the winners' circle in style Saturday afternoon!
The RCSJ squad validated their 14-2 dual match record by dominating the NJCAA Region 19 tournament to take the team title over Mercer County, Ocean, and Brookdale in the Region 19 Tournament held at Mercer County Park.
The following Roadrunners captured singles honors in their flights to become Region 19 champions:
#3 singles, Jason Petrin
#4 singles, James Keenan
#5 singles, Collin Christoff
#6 singles, Benjamin Konyak
#1 Trevor Lodge and #2 Rockland Caselli were finalists in their brackets.
In doubles action, #1 Lodge & Petrin were finalists while #2 Caselli & Christoff and #3 Keenan & Konyak were champions. The Runners began the tournament by winning 8 of 9 matches on Friday, setting the stage for the clincher on Saturday.
The Roadrunners practice this week to prepare for the NJCAA national championship tournament May 13-15 at Oxford Emory College in Georgia. Coach Brian Rowan praised his team for their improvement throughout the season. Said Rowan, "If we play with the same poise and confidence we showed in the Region 19 tournament, we'll do well in Georgia."
"This felt great and we never once gave up on our goal of winning this championship," said sophomore captain Trevor Lodge, the No. 1 singles player. "The coaches here (Brian Rowan, Scott Henderson and Sean Sloane) were determined that we played a full season and that we had a chance to compete in the postseason."
And now that the Runners will compete in the D-III National Championship Tournament, Caselli said the squad is looking to be competitive.
"We traveled all around several states this spring after not even being able to compete much last season during the pandemic," said Caselli. "We are ready to compete hard as a team at Nationals."
Opening Day -- April 29, 2022
Roadrunner Men's Tennis captured 8 of 9 matches on the opening day of the Region 19 Championships at Mercer County Park on Friday.
Coach Brian Rowan's squad also received their hardway Friday as Garden State Athletic Conference champions.
The Runners conclude play at the Region Tournament on Saturday morning.
