BCTA hosts team challenge

Bucks County Tennis Association (BCTA) youth players from around the county recently competed against each other as well as Mother Nature as temperatures hovered in the 90s with a heat index raising the heat into the 100s.

Despite the hot weather, competitors came to the mid-season BCTA Jr. Team Tennis Challenge, which was held at Doylestown Township’s Central Park.

The challenge is a USTA Pilot program designed as an introduction to competition for players ages 5 to 13. Athletes competed in the Red Ball Division (ages 7 to 10) and the Orange Ball Division (ages 11 to 13). The event focuses on entry-level team play and character development by offering a low-key competitive play experience that highlights teamwork and skill development in a fun social environment.

Two teams in each age division vied for gold and silver medals as well as team sportsmanship awards. Champions and runners-up were determined by total team scores, which were accumulated via round-robin doubles matches. BCTA coaches and volunteers were on hand to guide players and matches, and several parents helped with scorekeeping.

In the Little Aces Red Ball division, the Sharks edged out the Fireblasters 271 to 235, and in the Juniors Orange Ball division, the Executioners acted on their team name to execute their tennis skills and maintain a slight lead in the final round, winning the close contest, 136 to 123.

Competitors in the Little Aces Red Ball Division were:

– Southern Bucks Sharks: Nikhisha Arjun, Alexa Chan, Ava Chan, Mia Fedus, Lleyton Jones, Bruce Marcucci, Anya Priyolkar, Rogan Restaino, Logan Schutsky and David Soong.

– Central-Northern Bucks Fireblasters: Grace Boyle, Keira Checks, Lily Esmay, Ryan Friemann, Ethan Gourley, Abe Iden, Hayden McElroy, Katelyn Pisch, Logan Schutsky, Mia Schlack and Ava Theis.

Competitors in the Juniors Orange Ball Division were:

– Southern Bucks Executioners: Shiv Ghayal, Quinn Jones, Andrew Jeffers, Lauren Mawson, Ari Petrakopoulos, Melina Petrakopoulos, Rylee Russell and Jake Schutsky.

– Central-Northern Bucks Aces: Keira Calista, Audrey Chan, Yannis Chios, Tristan Eisler, Mackenzie Riley, Connor Sims, Ritvik Sindia and Nathan Vallow.