Gloucester CC in the hunt for National Tennis Title

The Gloucester County College Roadrunners are the four-time defending NJCAA Division III National Champions and they will be in the running for a fifth consecutive title on Thursday at Collin College in Plano, TX. This year will be a little different for the Roadrunners though as they will be the underdog and trail by one point to both Nassau CC and Suffolk CC heading into the tournament's final day. Both Nassau CC and Suffolk CC have 21 total team points and will be in the final at five of the nine championship flights on Thursday. Gloucester CC has 20 team points and will be in the final of four of the nine championship flights. Play is scheduled to begin at 8am with the six singles championship matches followed by the three doubles championship matches.

The first two days of the tournament were played a the brand new facility at the University of Texas at Dallas. The ten court facility saw some very competitive tennis and some upsets over two days of play. At the number one singles flight, defending national champion Maclane Smoke, also representing Region 19 from Brookdale CC, easily moved to the championship round and will face Roey Heymann from Nassau CC. Heymann was named the NJCAA Division III Coaches Association Player of the Year before the tournament so this should be a great match on Thursday and highlight the singles play. Smoke also reached the semifinals in doubles play with his partner Connor Ritchey but they were eliminated in three sets by Nassau CC's top doubles tandem.

At number two singles, top-seeded Mike Nelson from Nassau will face David Selt from Bergen CC who defeated Gloucester #2 seed Nick Louis in the semifinals. At number three singles, #1 seed Sebastian Alvarez from Suffolk will take on #2 see Jace Koretz from Nassau. At number four singles it will be #2 seed Ezio Cecere of Bergen CC taking on Matt Perrone from Gloucester CC who took out top see Dan Baruch from Nassau in one of Day 2's top matches so Region 19 will be guaranteed at least one Individual National Champion from the tournament. Perrone trailed a set and was down 0-4 in the second set before storming back for the win. At number five singles, top seed Peter Siv from Gloucester will take on Anthony Fazio from Suffolk who knocked off #2 seed Donnell Slay from Nassau. At number six singles, another upset as Stephen Cumberbatch from Suffolk defeated top seed Dan Klein in the semifinals and will take on #2 seed Derek Gillespie in the finals. Nassau CC is the favorite at #1 singles and will face Suffolk CC. At number two singles, Bergen CC is the top seed and will face #2 seed Nassau CC. At #3 doubles, top seeded Suffolk CC will take on #2 seed Gloucester CC.

Championship round matches will be played at the great facility at Collin College where the hosts provide chair umpires for each match and they atmosphere can be electric especially with the tournament so close this year.

Region 19 as you can see is well represented once again at this national tournament event as we will have a participant in seven of the nine championship flights.

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TEAM POINTS

Nassau CC 21
Suffolk CC 21
Gloucester CC 20
Bergen CC 16
Onondaga CC 9.5
Brookdale CC 6