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California Coast Crushers Capture First WTT Junior Nationals Title

Posted on August 17, 2018

It seems as though the fourth time is really the charm, at least for the California Coast Crushers.

After finishing as the runner-up for the past three years, the California Coast Crushers finally captured their first WTT Junior Nationals championship by overpowering Team Texas 48-11 to win the 2018 WTT Junior Nationals at the George E. Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego.

The WTT Junior Nationals, which is hosted by WTT co-founder Billie Jean King and is now in its 23rd year, is a national junior invitational event featuring 16 coed teams with players from 20 states. The teams, representing juniors ages 14-18, play the World TeamTennis format during their three days of non-elimination draw competition culminating with the Finals on the last day of the event.

The Crushers were undefeated in round robin action, taking all three of their matches with an astounding 144-19 game differential over opponents. The Crushers advanced through the semifinal playoff round with a 48-17 victory over Youth Tennis San Diego Aviators to advance to the championship match. This was the first WTT Junior Nationals title for the Crushers, who finished as runner-ups in

Texas took a similar path to the Finals, with a perfect 3-0 mark in round robin play and then a 46-32 win over Southwest in the playoff round. However the Crushers were too much in the championship match, giving up only 11 games in eight sets.

The California Coast Crushers were coached by Bill Dunkle. Team members include Delanie Dunkle, Arroyo Grande, Calif.; Peyton Dunkle, Arroyo Grande, Calif.; Maia Sung, Rolling Hills, Calif.; Dustin Kua, Valencia, Calif.; Kai Brady, Redondo Beach, Calif., and Karapet Vardanyan, Granada Hills, Calif.

Team Texas was led by coach Victor Haltmhoff. Team members include Adil Kahn, Rolling Hills, Calif.; Nabeel Kahn, Rolling Hills, Calif.; Sage Min, Albuquerque, N.M.; Ashley Penshorn, Montgomery, Texas; and Bella Nguyen, College Station, Texas.

The New England Yellow Jackets won the Maureen Connolly Brinker Team Spirit Award which is voted on by coaches, players and tournament officials for a team’s outstanding sportsmanship and camaraderie.

 

The Yellow Jackets received a $1,000 check along with the award. Team members of New England Yellow Jackets are Claire Reynolds, Nashua, N.H.; Emily Hill, Wilmington, Mass.; Linda Kong, Lexington, Mass.; Jason Boucher, Bedford, N.H.; Jens Georgs, Groton, Mass. Kai Georgs, Groton, Mass.; and coach Jurgen Georgs.

Tournament participants also attended a San Diego Aviators World TeamTennis match where they met WTA Tour star CoCo Vandeweghe and her Aviators teammates.

WTT Junior Nationals’  Final Playoff Round

Championship: California Coast Crushers def. Texas 48-11

3rd place: Barnes Ballers def. Southwest 44-29

5th place: Midwest/Racquet Club of Columbus def. Claim Jumpers 44-31

7th place: Eastern def. Pacific Wave 38-30

9th place: Middle States Superstars def. Nor Cal/ Laguna Creek Breakers 39-30

11th place: Northern Lights def. Orange County Breakers 38-29

13th place: New England Yellow Jackets def. Hawaii 40-38

15th place: Intermountain def. Tennessee 43-17


2018 WTT Junior Nationals participants 

July 23-26 – Barnes Tennis Center – San Diego, Calif.

1) California Coast Crushers

Delanie Dunkle, Arroyo Grande, Calif.

Peyton Dunkle, Arroyo Grande, Calif.

Maia Sung, Rolling Hills, Calif.

Dustin Kua, Valencia, Calif.

Kai Brady, Redondo Beach, Calif.

Karapet Vardanyan, Granada Hills, Calif.

COACH: Bill Dunkle

2) Team Texas

Adil Kahn, Rolling Hills, Calif.

Nabeel Kahn, Rolling Hills, Calif.

Sage Min, Albuquerque, N.M.

Ashley Penshorn, Montgomery, Texas

Bella Nguyen, College Station, Texas

COACH: Victor Haltmhoff

3) Youth Tennis San Diego Aviators

Carly Schwartzberg, San Diego, Calif.

Kathy Wang, Carlsbad, Calif.

Zlata Bobyr, San Diego, Calif.

Carlos Robles, Chula Vista, Calif.

Eric Kats, Chula Vista, Calif.

Marco Alvarez, Chula Vista, Calif.

COACH: Niko Kamopp

4) Southwest

Hailey Feuer, Phoenix, Ariz.

Karolina Moss, Paradise Valley, Ariz.

Brendan Perry, Tucson, Ariz.

George Jiang, Tucson, Ariz.

Chloe Gavino, Tucson, Ariz.

Ntal Richards, Scottsdale, Ariz.

COACH: Emily Wang

5) Midwest/Racquet Club of Columbus

Kathleen Jones, Lewis Center, Ohio

Paige Kompa, Columbus, Ohio

Sai Dhanvi Lalasa Nagireddy, Dublin, Ohio

Connor Biernat, Columbus, Ohio

Jordan Phelps, Lewis Center, Ohio

Josh Cole, Upper Arlington, Ohio

COACH: Gabe Higgs

6) The Claim Jumpers

Grace Dodd, Farmers Branch, Texas

Zoe Bennett, Los Angeles, Calif.

Drake Duchement, Mission Viejo, Calif.

Julian Lee, Albuquerque, N.M.

Roshan Morey, Laguna Hills, Calif.

COACH: Zoran Korac

7) Team Eastern

Alyssa An, New York, N.Y.

Kiera Agic, Miller Place, N.Y.

Joseph Monticciolo, South Setauket, N.Y.

Paul Elghouayel, New York, N.Y.

Khyanna Singh, Queens Village, N.Y.

Noah Monsanto, Woodbridge, N.J.

COACH: Robert Barr

8) Pacific Wave

Ashley Thorshov, San Luis Obisbo, Calif.

Cydney Yamamoto, Palos Verdes Peninsula, Calif.

Allen Song, Portland, Ore.

James Bertheau, Vancouver, Wash.

Vincent Hsu, Portland, Ore.

Jodi Chang, Torrance, Calif.

COACH: Nancy Ansboury

9) Middle States Superstars

Connie Richards, Villanova, Pa.

Emily Gotkiewicz, Canonsburg, Pa.

Sydney Lund, Doylestown, Pa.

Frank Yanni, Lansdale, Pa.

Holden Smith, Spring City, Pa.

Jonah Rebert, Millersville, Pa.

COACH: Ann Koger

10) Nor Cal / Laguna Creek Breakers

Danielle Zamora, Modesto, Calif.

Kiya Jackson, Elk Grove, Calif.

Kyla Jackson, Elk Grove, Calif.

Henry Huang, Elk Grove, Calif.

Patrick Wall, Elk Grove, Calif.

Stephen Guenard, Elk Grove, Calif.

COACH: Jesse Pangilinan

11) Northern Lights

Cora Andersen, Lakeville, Minn.

Rachel Kelly, Minnetonka, Minn.

Samantha Van Ert, Hopkins, Minn.

Joseph Punnoose, Bloomington, Minn.

Peter Morris, Mahtomedi, Minn.

Tristan Fjelstad, Eden Prairie, Minn.

COACH: Gordon Reid

12) Orange County Breakers

Morgan Mann, Newport Coast, Calif.

Nicole Condas, Irvine, Calif.

Nathan Butterfield, San Luis Obispo, Calif.

Sam Ashbrook, Arroyo Grande, Calif.

Spencer Cinco, Ladera Ranch, Calif.

Brooke Tutor, Baldwinsville, N.Y.

COACH: A. G. Longoria

13) New England Yellow Jackets

Claire Reynolds, Nashua, N.H.

Emily Hill, Wilmington, Mass.

Linda Kong, Lexington, Mass.

Jason Boucher, Bedford, N.H.

Jens Georgs, Groton, Mass.

Kai Georgs, Groton, Mass.

COACH: Jurgen Georgs

14) Hawaii

Isabella Rooney, Mililani, Hawaii

Nikki Fernando, Kihei, Hawaii

Aidan Rooney, Mililani, Hawaii

Chaz Nagasawa, Honolulu, Hawaii

Zack Fernando, Kihei, Hawaii

Lauren Ikeda, Honolulu, Hawaii

COACH: Mimi Kennell

15) Intermountain

Isabella Brilliant, Meridian, Idaho

Maria Frampton, Whitefish, Mont.

Andre Brilliant, Meridian, Idaho

Jack Hambrook, Henderson, Nev.

Tyler Landen, Centennial, Colo.

Kelsey Hardsocg, Cheyenne, Wyo.

COACH: Josh Cossitt

16) Team Tennessee

Cate Kroeger, Springfield, Tenn.

Ella Swan, Nashville, Tenn.

Ellison Reynoldson, Camden, Tenn.

Jaren Stauder, Madison, Tenn.

Luke Kroeger, Springfield, Tenn.

Will Riddle, Nolensville, Tenn.

COACH: Bill Riddle