Canfield’s Cianciola advances with two wins

Staff report

MASON

Tim Cianciola’s bid for a Division I state tennis singles championship remains alive.

The Canfield High School senior won his first two matches Friday at the Lindner Family Tennis Center to secure a semifinal berth today.

Cionciola began his final state tournament appearance by beating Beavercreek’s Austin Staiger 6-1, 6-1. He then defeated Massillon Jackson’s Danny Thomas 6-2, 6-3.

Cianciola will face New Albany’s Robert Cash in a semifinal match today. Cash, a junior, also advanced with back-to-back wins in straight sets. He opened with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Solon’s Kavi Jain and then defeated Cincinnati Turpin’s Grant Wendel 6-2, 6-2.

The other semifinal will pit Lewis Center Olentangy’s Stu Brdicka against Mason’s Niraj Komatineni.

Cianciola was accompanied in Mason by the Cardinals’ doubled duo of sophomore Sirin Nalluri and freshman Ben Martin.

They were eliminated after losing a first-round match (6-4, 6-4) to sophomore Sam Marcus and senior Nathan Zhang of Cincinnati Sycamore.

The Mahoning Valley’s three singles players in the Div. II state tournament also were eliminated in first-round matches.

Ursuline’s Greg Morgione fell Milan Conela of Columbus Wellington, 6-3, 6-4.

Lakeview’s Jake McDivitt lost to Matthew McGee of Toledo Ottawa Hills, 6-0, 6-2.

Warren JFK’s Armand Nannicola was ousted by Andrew Pregel of Cincinnati Indian Hill, 6-1, 6-0.

Morgione, McDivitt and Nannicola are sophomores.