Well, here we are just ahead of the mid-way point of the regular season.

Abington Heights, the No. 1 team in The Times-Tribune Top 5 Poll, faced and turned back a strong challenge from Valley View in one of the most exciting matches in the league in the last few seasons.

Valley View surged to one-set leads in three of the four matches being contested at Abington Heights Middle School, and the fourth went needed a tiebreaker to decide the first set.

 

 

No. 1 Singles: Carlo Possanza (VV) won first set over Rory Harris, 6-4

No. 2 Singles: Varun Iyengar (AH) won first set over Ryan Carrotto, 7-6 (1)

No. 3 Singles: Kevin Duffy (VV) won first set over Sam Weis, 6-4

No. 1 Doubles: Franco Pazzaglia-Aaron Harrison won first set over Adam Vale-Chris
Hobbie, 7-5

 

 

That is high drama for a regular-season match in early April.

Then, Abington Heights started to claw its way back and seized the early lead when Iyengar won the second set over Carrotto, 6-2.

Valley View evened things up when Pazzaglia-Harrison won the second set in doubles, 6-3.

 

Abington Heights 1, Valley View 1

 

 

No. 1 Singles: Harris won second set over Possanza, 6-4

No. 3 Singles: Weis won second set over Duffy, 6-4

 

 

 

With all eyes now fixated on the two matches that were into the deciding third sets. Teammates began to gather around the chain-link fence. On every winning point, they took turns bellowing loud cheers of support.

In the clash between two of the top singles players in the Lackawanna League, Possanza gave the Cougars a jolt with a comeback win over Harris. He took the third set, 6-2 and Valley View had the lead overall, 2-1.

But, Weis had the answer for Duffy’s powerful serve and quick feet. He stayed back and maintained his poise on returns. His improved consistency led to a hard-fought 6-2 win to get Abington Heights back to even at 2-2.

Then, the match was ultimately decided at No. 2 doubles where Charlie Puksta-Nadav Griver defeated Bradley Good-Rob Brudnicki, 6-2, 6-0 to give Abington Heights the 3-2 victory to remain undefeated.

 

Abington Heights 3, Valley View 2

FINAL

 

 

 

HIGHLIGHTS

 

 

 

 

 

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THE RIVALRY

 

 

Abington Heights’ win set up today’s annual battle between high school tennis super powers. The Comets will host Scranton Prep at the Abington Heights Middle School.

 

 

Here is the matchup:

 

 

Abington Heights	Records	Scranton Prep	Records
Rory Harris	4–2	Matt Tressler	4–3
Varun Iyengar	4–2	Harrison Oven	5–2
Sam Weiss	6–0	Matt Tatulli	4–2

 

 

BY THE NUMBERS

 

 

Lackawanna League Records since 2008

 

 

Year	Scranton Prep	Abington Heights
2008	14–0	13–1
2009	15–0	14–1
2010	8–0	10–0
2011	11–0	12–0
2012	11–0	12–0
2013	13–1	14–0
2014	13–1	14–0
2015	13–1	14–0
2016	13–1	14–0
2017	13–1	14–0
2018	13–1	12–2
2019	6–1	6–0

143–7

149-4

 

 

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LAST 6 MEETINGS

 

 

• 

  Scranton Prep’s Jack Habeeb led team past Abington Heights last season.

  ABINGTON HEIGHTS 3, SCRANTON PREP 2

• ABINGTON HEIGHTS 3, SCRANTON PREP 2
• ABINGTON HEIGHTS 4, SCRANTON PREP 1
• ABINGTON HEIGHTS 3, SCRANTON PREP 2
• ABINGTON HEIGHTS 3, SCRANTON PREP 2
• SCRANTON PREP 4, ABINGTON HEIGHTS 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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2019 SEASON

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before we get too far into the recap of the season, we want to post the District 2 Power Ratings Standings. This spring for the first time, all matches where teams compete head-to-head count toward their record and rating in the chase for the District 2 Class 2A and Class 3A playoffs.

Speaking of the playoffs. Here are some important dates to remember via piaad2.org and Mike Ognosky.

 

• SEEDING MEETING– Singles & Doubles
  Monday, May 6th @ Dunmore High School, 7 p.m.

 

• TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP AT KIRBY PARK

Wednesday, May 2nd @ Higher Seed (First Round)
Tuesday, May 7th (Semifinals and Finals)
.
AAA Semifinals at 11:30 a.m.; AA Semifinals at 1 p.m. Finals to follow.
NOTE: First Round of the PIAA State Team Championships is Tuesday, May 14th
.

• SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIPS AT KIRBY PARK

Thursday, May 9th (First three rounds)
Friday, May 10th (Semifinals and Finals)

 

• DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIPS AT KIRBY PARK

Monday, May 13th (First three rounds)
Wednesday, May 15th (Semifinals and Finals)
NOTE: Singles and Doubles PIAA Championships are on May 25-26 at Hershey Racquet Club

 

 

DISTRICT 2 STANDINGS (Courtesy of piaad2.org)

 

 

CLASS 2A

 

 

 

CLASS 3A

 

 

 

 

 

 

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TOP TEAMS

 

 

Abington Heights emerged from this past week as the lone unbeaten team in the Lackawanna League. Valley View certainly made quite an impression in defeat.

The outcome of the Scranton Prep-Abington Heights match will have a big impact on the standings. First and foremost, there is a logjam of teams with only one loss in the league. Holy Cross (6-1), Scranton Prep (6-1), Valley View (5-1) and Scranton (4-1).

Abington Heights has already defeated Holy Cross, Valley View and Scranton.

 

 

WEEK 3 POLL

 

 

	Rank	Team	Record
	1	Abington Heights COMETS	6–0
	2	Holy Cross CRUSADERS	6–1
	3	Scranton Prep CAVALIERS	6–1
	4	Valley View COUGARS	5–1
	5	Scranton KNIGHTS	4–1

 

 

Teams to watch: Delaware Valley (4-2), West Scranton (4-2).

 

 

SEASON RESULTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP PLAYERS

 

 

We have a shakeup at No. 1. Delaware Valley’s Tomas Reese posted a win over Western Wayne’s Lenny Maiocco, which ended Maiocco’s league winning streak at 19 straight.

 

During his run, Lenny Maiocco won 38 straight sets and lost a total of 27 games.

 

So, Reese, who is the defending District 2 Class 3A champion, climbs one spot to No. 1. Maiocco slides down to No. 2.

Not only did the Abington Heights-Valley View match entertain, it featured an outstanding clash at No. 1 singles. Carlo Possanza earned a hard-fought win over Rory Harris as documented above and because of that moved up to No. 4 in the rankings.

 

 

	Rank	Player	Record
	1	Tomas REESE DELAWARE VALLEY	6–0
	2	Lenny MAIOCCO WESTERN WAYNE	5–1
	3	Logan GREGORY HOLY CROSS	5–1
	4	Carlo POSSANZA VALLEY VIEW	4–2
	5	Rory Harris ABINGTON HEIGHTS	4–2

 

 

Players to watch: Harsh Patel (Scranton); Harrison Oven (Scranton Prep); Camus Howie (Scranton); Joey Lennon (Holy Cross); Varun Iyengar (Abington Heights).

 

 

SINGLES RECORDS

 

 

 

 

 

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SCHEDULE

 

TODAY

5-Scranton at Montrose
Delaware Valley at Dunmore
Mid Valley at Honesdale
4-Valley View at 2-Holy Cross at University of Scranton
3-Scranton Prep at 1-Abington Heights
West Scranton at Western Wayne
Wallenpaupack at North Pocono

 

THURSDAY

Montrose at Honesdale
Riverside at 2-Holy Cross
5-Scranton at 3-Scranton Prep
West Scranton at Delaware Valley
Wallenpaupack at Mid Valley
North Pocono at 4-Valley View
1-Abington Heights at Western Wayne

 

 

FRIDAY

Western Wayne at Mid Valley
North Pocono at Delaware Valley

 

 

MONDAY

Honesdale at 3-Scranton Prep
West Scranton at Dunmore
Wallenpaupack at Montrose
North Pocono at Riverside
Western Wayne at 5-Scranton
4-Valley View at Mid Valley
1-Abington Heights at Delaware Valley

 

 

TUESDAY

Wallenpaupack at 5-Scranton

 

 

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