Panthers Dominate Kent Tennis

The John McGregor Panthers dominated day 2 of the Kent high school tennis championships taking home individual crowns in both boys and girls singles, as well as winning the overall team title for the third consecutive year.

In Boys Singles, Alexander Goldoni (JMSS) defeated Josh Dube of UCC 8-7 (7-4) in the championship match. Rick An of CKSS was third and Andre Pinsonneault of ESPC fourth.

In Girls Singles, Laura Polowick (JMSS) defeated her teammate Anique Daley 8-3 to win the championship. Michelle Truong of UCC was third and Julia Kocis of CKSS finished fourth.

JMSS won the overall team title with 47 points, while UCC was second with 21.

Tennis was a sponsored high school athletic activity from 1967 to 1979 when it, along with golf and curling, were dropped.

All have been reinstated, with tennis being an official activity again in 2006-07 after serving two seasons as a probationary sport.

Alexander Goldoni’s win in boys’ singles this year makes him the only two time boys’ singles winner. McGregor’s Abbey Haynes won three consecutive years and five if you count the two years that tennis was a ‘probationary sport’ (necessary to become an official sport).

Others have won more than once at Kent. Tanya Mailloux (JMSS) won three times with three different partners, one girls’ doubles and two mixed doubles. Nicole Protopapas (CKSS) won three times, also with three different partners, one girls’ doubles and two mixed. Graciela Alaniz (CKSS) won three times, twice with her sister Grecia and once in singles.

Although several Kent County district schools compete in tennis it has been dominated by the Chatham city schools. Since 2006 only two non-Chatham schools have won a Kent championship. Louis Pinsonneault and Andrew Shymanski of ESPC won in 2008-09 and Sarah Nishimura and Kayla Pauwels of WDSS won in 2007-08.