Lakeview doubles team and JFK’s Abdul-Aal fall in state play

Staff report

COLUMBUS

Area tennis players fell short in Friday’s state competition.

The Lakeview doubles team of senior Zach McDivitt and junior Aaron Paczak won a set, but fell in the first round of the Division II state tournament.

In singles play, Warren JFK’s Jad Abdul-Aal fell in two sets.

Alex Markovits and Matt Cohen of Cincinnati Seven Hills began the match against McDivitt and Paczak with a 6-4 victory. The Bulldogs fought back with a 6-3 win in the second before falling, 6-1, in the third.

Markovits and Cohen later fell to Grant McPherson and Stephen Shin in the second round.

Abdul-Aal lost, 6-4, 6-1, to freshman Asher Hirsch of Cincinnati Country Day. Hirsch remains alive in the championship hunt and faces Pepper Pike Orange’s Maksim Kan in today’s final four matches.