Godwin boys beat Deep Run for state title

NEWPORT NEWS -- The state champion Mills Godwin girls tennis team decided to wait for the boys team before taking its traditional victory plunge in the nearby James River.

To earn their river dip yesterday, the Eagles boys had to beat Colonial District and Central Region rival Deep Run in the final of the Virginia High School League Group AAA team tournament at Huntington Park. The Eagles' previous three state titles (2002, 2003 and 2005) had come against district and region rival Douglas Freeman.

Sparked by Michael Holt, Zack King and Anthony Pelesis, the bottom three singles players, and with the No. 3 doubles team of Arjun Karthikeyan and David Caravati supplying the clinching point, Mills Godwin defeated Deep Run 5-2.

Karthikeyan and Caravati earned the fifth point last Tuesday in Mills Godwin's quarterfinal victory over nemesis James Robinson with less than sterling play. Yesterday was different.

"We were going to close this off and jump in that river," Caravati said. "I'd have been happy if we won 5-1, but I knew I'd have a smile on my face if the score was 4-2, and we got the chance to close it."

Deep Run, playing in its first final, edged Mills Godwin 5-4 in their regularseason match. The Eagles defeated the Wildcats 5-4 in the region final. Another close match was anticipated yesterday.

Wildcats' coach Salman Parvaiz had to make a lineup change before the final began. No. 3 singles Glenn Diersen was held out of the match for breaking a team rule. Diersen had given the Wildcats points in singles and doubles against the Eagles.

"Deep Run wanted to win when Mills Godwin was strong," Parvaiz said. "The message is clear in the Deep Run community. We don't bend the rules. We did win in one way. [We] faced adversity with our shoulders up, smiles on our faces and polite behavior."

Parvaiz moved Stephon Hinds up to No. 3, Phillip Mosberg to No. 4, Jake Fratkin to No. 5 and inserted Ben Hall at No. 6. Jayanth Shekhar and Barney Sankar became the No. 3 doubles team.

Deep Run's Hunter Koontz defeated Kyle Parker for the first time this season in the leadoff singles. Hinds picked up the Wildcats' second point with a victory over Michael Baxter, who still got to celebrate his 18th birthday with a state title. Holt and Pelesis won in straight sets at Nos. 4 and 6. King had to go three sets against Fratkin.

King gave the Eagles the 4-2 lead that meant Godwin had to take just one doubles for the title.

"[The point] was pretty big, I guess," King said. "I didn't know [how big] until I came off the court. . . . It was a really big deal to finally get over the hump."

The victory was sweet for Mills Godwin's seniors, Parker, McMillen, Baxter and Mishra Suraj, who had been on the losing end to James Robinson in two finals, 2006 and 2008, and the semifinals in 2007.

"With Robinson the past three years and recognizing Deep Run is coming on, we sort of had to do it this year," Mills Godwin coach Tom Hoy said. "Zack King was the highlight. Getting that fourth point really made the doubles easier."

The Eagles have now won eight Group AAA team titles with Hoy at the helm. They also won five Group AA crowns.

YESTERDAY'S RESULTS

Mills Godwin 5, Deep Run 2
Singles: Hunter Koontz (DR) d. Kyle Parker 6-1, 7-6 (7-4); Kevin McMillen (MG) d. Evan Charles 6-4, 6-2; Stephon Hinds d. Michael Baxter 6-4, 7-6 (7-5); Michael Holt (MG) d. Phillip Mosberg 7-6 (10-8), 6-2; Zack King (MG) d. Jake Fratkin 6-1, 1-6, 6-4; Anthony Pelesis d. Ben Hall 6-3, 6-2.

Doubles: Arjun Karthikeyan-David Caravati (MG) d. Jayanth Shekhar-Barney Sankar 6-4, 6-0.