By Marc Raimondi
It was a year of excellent individual performances.
Beacon’s Quinton Vega was the headliner, starting with a classic three-set win against Cardozo’s Jon Raude in the PSAL team championship match. The junior helped the Blue Demons to their second-straight title. The PSAL stronghold seems to have shifted to Manhattan after Cardozo owned the league for so long.
Horace Mann, on the other hand, got back to its winning ways, beating Cardozo in the Mayor’s Cup team championship match for the Lions’ fourth title in five years. Freshman second singles Andrew Arnaboldi was arguably the team’s MVP during its run. In the CHSAA, St. Francis Prep won a second-straight city title before being ousted by surprising Forest Hills in the Mayor’s Cup team quarterfinals.
All-City boys’ tennis Player of the Year: Quinton Vega, Beacon
It was a milestone year for Vega and Beacon. The junior helped lead the Blue Demons to a second straight PSAL Class A team title, he won his first PSAL individual title and also became the first PSAL player to make the NYPHSAA finals. Look for even bigger and better things from the star next year.
All-City boys’ tennis Coach of the Year: Chris Lacopo, Horace Mann
Horace Mann was not the favorite to win the Mayor’s Cup as it was in years past. The second-seeded Lions didn’t even win the Ivy League crown — that honor went to Riverdale. But Mann’s depth prevailed in the citywide competition and the Lions prevailed over Cardozo 3-2.
All-City First Team
Jon Raude, Cardozo
The decorated senior snapped out of a funk and ended his career in style. The Boston College-bound Raude, who is No. 11 in the USTA Eastern rankings, helped Cardozo to the Mayor’s Cup team final, won the Mayor’s Cup individual championship and earned the PSAL Wingate Award, given to the best senior in a given sport.
Asika Isoh, Queens Gateway to Health Sciences
His path to the Mayor’s Cup individual championship was equal parts impressive and courageous. The West Point-bound senior, who is No. 1 in the USTA Eastern rankings, battled through a torn labrum — and even had to serve underhand sometimes — and beat everyone in front of him before retiring in the second set against Cardozo star Jon Raude.
Thomas Klosinski, Xavier
Xavier is not known for its tennis program, but Klosinski led the Knights to the CHSAA championship match this season. The senior, who is No. 13 in the USTA Eastern rankings, will play tennis next year at Columbia.
Kilby Featherston/Chris Jimenez, St. Francis Prep
Featherston finally got the monkey off his back. His three older sisters all owned multiple Mayor’s Cup titles and he had none before he and Jimenez won the doubles championship this season. It was retribution for the pair, who lost in last year’s final.
Jake Sosonkin/Mikolaj Borak, Brooklyn Tech
The Engineers were upset in the quarterfinals of the PSAL team playoffs by upstart Forest Hills. But Sosonkin and Borak, Brooklyn Tech’s first and second singles, respectively, rebounded by winning the PSAL doubles championship.
All-City Second Team
David Arroyave, St. Francis Prep
At first singles, he led St. Francis Prep to a second straight CHSAA title. The Terriers underachieved in the Mayor’s Cup team competition, falling in the quarterfinals, but Arroyave, who is No. 49 in the USTA Eastern rankings, came back to make the citywide tournament’s individual semifinals.
Stefan Ilic, Forest Hills
The junior was perhaps the most improved player in the PSAL. From second singles, he led Forest Hills to two upsets — over Brooklyn Tech in the PSAL team quarterfinals and against St. Francis Prep in the Mayor’s Cup team quarterfinals. Ilic also finished third in the PSAL individuals, good enough for a spot on the state team.
Andrew Arnaboldi, Horace Mann
Though somewhat overshadowed by older brother, Brenton, who played first singles, the freshman second singles was vital in Horace Mann’s improbable run to the Mayor’s Cup team title. The future is extremely bright for the younger Arnaboldi.
Kurtis Rhee/Soren Zeliger, Horace Mann
Doubles was the backbone of Horace Mann’s previous Mayor’s Cup championship teams and though the Lions were not the favorites this time around, doubles were huge again. Rhee and Seliger were vital as Mann knocked off Cardozo 3-2 in the citywide tournament’s final. Without their victory, the team would not have won its fourth Mayor’s Cup team title in five years.
Brian Driscoll/Kemet Dugue, Archbishop Molloy
Molloy wasn’t able to duplicate last year’s CHSAA Class B championship, but the Stanners earned some headlines with Driscoll and Dugue. The pair advanced all the way to the Mayor’s Cup doubles championship match.
All-City Honorable Mention
Anthony Assal, Bronx Science
Eric Brinzenskiy, Staten Island Academy
Daniel Kandinov, Bayside
Daniel Lakhman, Francis Lewis
Filip Malaric, Hunter College HS
Erik Manske, Staten Island Academy
Justin Vijungco, Forest Hills
Roland John/Hugh Mo, Cardozo
Jake Aronson/Christian Waldron, Beacon
Christopher Jou/Leon Pan, Stuyvesant
