The District 3-AAA boys’ tennis team final is set, and Manheim Township will have a chance to make it back-to-back championships.
The Blue Streaks on Tuesday knocked off their L-L League rival, Hempfield, 3-2 in a district semifinal match at Hershey Racquet Club.
In the other semifinal, Lower Dauphin blanked Central York 3-0, setting up Wednesday’s championship match, featuring LD against MT at 12:45 back at HRC.
Hempfield (11-2) will take on Central York (12-2) in the third-place match on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m.
MANHEIM TOWNSHIP MOVING ON
The Blue Streaks (11-1) got it done Tuesday behind a pair of doubles victories and a No. 3 singles win by Bobby Belser, who beat Calvin Athey 6-2, 6-1.
In No. 1 doubles, Manheim Township’s Dan Ansel and Will Byler topped Hempfield’s Jay Cooke and Ben Watson 6-1, 6-1, and in No. 2 doubles, the Blue Streaks’ Ben Weiner and Tyler Lewin topped Nick Aksu and Andrew Virts 6-1, 6-4, giving Manheim Township the victory.
Hempfield won No. 1 and No. 2 singles: Derek Hagino, who won the District 3-AAA singles title on Monday, beat Ben Wirth 6-2, 6-0, and Tommy Athey defeated Jack Fowler 6-1, 6-4.
Manheim Township topped Hempfield in last year’s district team championship match — and the Blue Streaks topped the Black Knights in the last two L-L team title matchups.
The Blue Streaks are angling for their fifth District 3-AAA team title; Manheim Township also won team crowns in 2013, 2010, 2001 and 2000.
Manheim Township also won six team titles before District 3 split into two classifications in 1999.
FALCONS FLY INTO FINALS
Lower Dauphin (16-2) cruised into the team championship with a 3-0 win over Central York, and the Falcons didn’t need a win at No. 1 singles to do so.
LD wrapped up the match with wins at No. 2 and No. 3 singles and No. 1 doubles.
In singles, the Falcons got victories from No. 2 Josh Carl, who topped Chris Maderitz 6-4, 6-2, and No. 2 Beck Wiles, who beat Raphael Hotea 7-5, 6-1.
And in No. 1 doubles, LD’s Rye Morris and Todd Espenshade outlasted CY’s Jeremy Garling and Jacob Smith 6-2, 7-5 to help the Falcons wrap it up.
In No. 1 singles, LD’s Nate Carl was leading CY’s Devin Lehigh 4-6, 6-1, 1-0 when the match was clinched.
And in the No. 2 doubles match, CY’s Chris Schmidt and Caleb Gerberick were leading LD’s Tom Graden and Reed Morris 7-6 (8-6), 5-5 when the match was clinched.