WINNING PAIRS: Lawrence Park CI’s Matt Gibbard-McCall, left, Meg Killeen, Lachlan Carmichael and Sarah Harling earned silver and bronze in OFSAA tennis June 1-3.
Pairs grab silver, bronze and antique bronze
The only regret the Lawrence Park CI tennis team has after its performance at OFSAA is that its two mixed doubles, who finished second and third, didn’t get the chance to meet each other in the final.
Fifteen from Pantherland competed in the high school provincials, played June 1-3 at the Rexall Centre on the campus of York University, and Lawrence Park hit the podium three times.
Finishing second in mixed pairs were Matt Gibbard-McCall and Meg Killeen. Lachlan Carmichael and Sarah Harling were third.
Along with the silver and bronze in mixed doubles, an antique bronze was earned in open girls doubles by Ecaterina Camer and Taylor Cheung-Damonte.
Though Grade 11 Gibbard-McCall said he was disappointed at silver, he warmed to the honour, especially with freshman Killeen as his partner.
Both pairs, McGill-Killeen and Carmichael-Harling, were defeated by Matt Fenerty and Zante Botha of Mother Teresa Catholic Secondary School in London. Carmichael and Harling lost 8-2 in the semifinals. Gibbard-McCall lost 8-4 in the finals.
Camer and Cheung-Damonte took home the antique bronze after losing, 8-7, in the bronze medal match to Katherine Yampolsky and Alex Fainblum of Thornhill Secondary School.
Coach Lindsey Wong said he was pleased with his charges, adding they balanced their academics and extra-curricular responsibilities admirably. They also overcame injuries that had riddled the troupe throughout the season.
In particular, boys doubles pair Jordan Welter and Sam Finkelstein were forced to withdraw after Welter broke his foot playing soccer at Lawrence Park, before the provincials.
“The experience of the players was key,” Wong said, noting it was the third year on the team for his healthy complement of Grade 12 players. “That’s important, because they know how to handle the pressure.”
Also representing the Panthers at OFSAA were Caroline Farrell and Emily Buzanis, Jen Boughner and Nicole Mayer in high school girls doubles; Dimmo Bakalov in high school boys singles; Grade 9 Elizabeth Rozin in open girls singles; and Marc Isaia in open boys singles.