Mohana Sunkara
Jayden Shin '23 and Samir Singh '24 pose for a photo with their championship trophy and bracket during the state singles/doubles tournament at the Hawkeye Tennis & Recreation Complex on May 25.
For years upon years, the West High boys tennis players have succeeded in postseason play, especially at the state singles/doubles tournament. Last year, the West High boys tennis team produced the doubles state runner-up with the duo of Luca Chackalackal ’22 and Mukundan Kasturirangan ’21. This year, West took it one step further in the doubles draw and turned out on top.
Junior Jayden Shin and sophomore Samir Singh became the doubles state champions after beating Pleasant Valley’s Brady Adams ’22 and Nathan Barlow ’22 6-0, 6-3. They faced many tough opponents on the road to the championship, including Pleasant Valley’s other doubles state qualifier duo of Mazen Alsheikha ’22 and Gavin Pangan ’22, in which Shin and Singh went to a third set with before winning 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(4).
Along with West bringing home the doubles state championship, both singles state qualifiers for West placed. Chackalackal placed 8th, whilst Seth Smigel ’25 placed 6th.
Now, after two straight days of grueling play, the boys tennis team has one last day of play left in the postseason — team state. With their dominating performances at the state singles/doubles tournament, the boys tennis players are sure to bring some tough competition to the state team semifinal May 31.