Boardman tennis duo stay on roll

Three Poland players also qualified for the state tourney.

Vindicator staff report

ROCKY RIVER — Boardman tennis players Scott Warden and Robert Salcedo didn’t lose a match during the regular season.

So far, the postseason hasn’t been any different.

Warden and Salcedo won both their matches Saturday to capture the Division I district doubles title at Tri-City Park and earn a berth in next weekend’s state tournament.

After toppling Shaker Heights’ Aaron Robbins and Greg Woyczynski 6-2, 6-4 in their semifinal match, the Spartans duo held off Hudson’s Matt McErlean and Alex Hughes in the final, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3).

“They played very solid in the first match and in the second match, there were numerous breaks of serve,” Boardman coach Steve Warden said. “They came back and won some very important games after they were down.

“Once they got to the tiebreaker, they basically dominated and closed it out.”

Warden and Salcedo each went 17-0 during the regular season in singles.

Warden, a senior, was a state singles qualifier last year, losing in the first round.

Salcedo, a junior, joined his older brother Bryant in doubles last year and finished third in the state.

“It’s definitely very tough down there,” Steve Warden said. “The same team that won last year [Middletown’s Michael Cole and Patrick Hamning] and beat Bryant and Robert is there again this year. I think we have a shot, but it’s gonna be very difficult.

“Hopefully we can just get to the second day. After that, you just need some breaks.”

In Div. II action at Weis Park in Canton, Poland’s Ben Brocker won his semifinal match before falling to CVCA’s Alex Aleman in the district final, 6-4, 6-1.

Warren JFK’s Michael Fredericka lost to Aleman in the second round, but battled his way out of the consolation bracket to finish fifth and claim the final state qualifying spot.

In doubles, Poland’s Ryan and Zubin Teckchandani finished fourth to earn a state berth.