Three area boys entered at state tennis

By John Kovach

BOARDMAN — Tennis players and friends Robert Salcedo of Boardman High and Ben Brocker of Poland both hit the ball hard and displayed sharp form practicing together Wednesday afternoon at the Spartans’ courts.

The two aces will compete in the 90th boys state tournament Friday and Saturday at Stickney Tennis Center at Ohio State.

“The state players are really good. The competition I faced in the district is indicative of what I will face at state,” said Salcedo, a senior whose 22-match undefeated streak was shattered in last Saturday’s Division I meet in Rocky River.

“The field is strong this year. I would like to finish higher than third [his placement in doubles last year] but it will be a challenge because of the quality.”

Salcedo (5-foot-10, 170 pounds), who is making his fourth straight trip to the state meet — but his first in singles after three doubles showings — lost both of his district matches Saturday to place fourth. Salcedo lost to Cloverleaf’s Ethan Dunbar 6-0, 6-3, and to Westlake’s Colton Buffington 7-6, 6-3, to fall to 22-2.

Dunbar went on to defeat Shaker Heights’ Tommy Marx 6-3, 7-6 to win the distrtct title.

“I had a tough day and off day. They were the best players I faced this year,” said Salcedo, who will square off with Arren Carter of Olentangy Liberty on Friday at 9 a.m. in the first round. “I didn’t play that well but even if I had played better, I don’t know if I could have beat them. I made a lot of unforced errors and my service was off and I had some double faults.”

Salcedo, the son of Janice and Stephen Salcedo who will attend the University of Dayton on a tennis scholarship, placed third in the state in doubles as a sophomore with his brother, Bryant, and as a junior with Scott Warden.

As a freshman teaming with Chris Leson, Salcedo lost his second match in Columbus.

Bryant Salcedo now is playing tennis for Vanderbilt and is a sophomore this season, while Warden is a freshman on the University of Connecticut team and Leson a junior player at Youngstown State.

Salcedo has a four-year career record of 73-4 in singles.

Brocker (5-11, 175), a junior making his second trip to state, also said he had a tough day in the Canton Division II district meet where he split two matches to place third and gain a state berth.

He lost to Beachwood’s Mark Goldberg 6-2, 6-3, then won over Colin Bernier of Canton Central Catholic who was forced to retire because of an injury.

“I was serving pretty well but I had a lot of unforced errors in the first match,” said Brocker, who last year won his first-round singles match at state before bowing out. “I lost to the state runner-up, Will Petrie of Columbus Academy.”

Brocker (20-4), the son of Brad and Heidi Brocker who has a 4.0 grade-point average, is realistic that he will be going against the best players in the state, but he also is confident.

“I’d like to win but if not I’d like to get past the second round,” said Brocker, who will meet John Hendrix of Columbus Academy in the opening round.

Brocker believes one of his advantages is that he is a southpaw.

“Lefties are tough to play. The spins are coming at you in a different way. It is your weakness versus their strength,” agreed Salcedo, who has a 3.78 GPA and wants to major in business and finance at Dayton.

But they both realize, “You are playing against the best in Ohio. This is a big meet and you get tested to see how good you really are.”

Brocker also has an outstanding three-year career record of 60-9.

Rounding out the area delegation to state is Michael Fredericka, a sophomore from Warren JFK, who will oppose Chad Buchanan of Columbus Academy in the first round of Div. II.

Fredericka split in the district, defeating Canton Central Catholic’s Colin Bernier 6-2, 6-1, then losing to Beachwood’s Mark Goldberg 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 for second place.

This is his second trip to the state tournament.

kovach@vindy.com