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MASON – As if the cramping in his left leg did not present enough of a hurdle in a Division II boys tennis state quarterfinal May 28, it got to the point that Bexley freshman Harrison Lessard could barely move his right hand.
Lessard, a five-star recruit, even served underhand late in a 6-2, 7-6 (7-0) win over Kettering Alter’s Michael Shope at Lindner Family Tennis Center.
But fueled by adrenaline and the loud cheers of his two older brothers, 2025 doubles state championsHenry and Sam Lessard, Harrison survived persistent cramps in one of his biggest tests of the season and advanced to within two wins of bringing his team and family their third championship since 2024.
“It was tough to battle that out,” said Lessard, who despite having to take a medical timeout in the second set led 5-3 before falling behind 6-5. “[It was] definitely adrenaline carrying me that last tiebreak. I don’t think I could have [won] that without my teammates on the sideline cheering for me, giving me the energy I needed.”
Lessard, who opened with a 6-0, 6-2 over Toledo Ottawa Hills’ Chris Thompson, will face West Milton Milton-Union’s Levi Brumbaugh in one semifinal May 29. Columbiana Heartland Christian’s Cooper Grim and Pepper Pike Orange’s Ilya Shcherbakov will square off in the other.
The championship and third-place matches are later in the day.
Central Ohio also has a chance at the Division I singles championship after Olentangy Liberty senior Shane Hand swept two matches May 28.
The Butler signee defeated Loveland’s Bode Zappin 6-1, 6-1 and Mentor’s Theodore Vanjo 6-2, 6-0 to reach the semifinals for the second time in three seasons. Hand will face defending champion Greg Bernadsky of Mason in one semifinal, and the other will pit Richfield Revere’s Finn Keenan against Sylvania Southview’s Landon Vens – Hand’s first cousin.
“It’s about sticking to the game plan,” said Hand, who placed fourth as a sophomore. “There were a few moments in both of those matches where it could have gone downhill fast, but just staying locked in mentally, staying present and focusing on one point at a time has really helped me.”
Vens defeated Upper Arlington junior Owen Hawley 6-2, 6-2 in a quarterfinal.
Olentangy senior Gavin Cheung and freshman teammate Aarush Andey both lost in the first round.
In Division II, Bexley senior Amiya Bowles’ hopes for a fourth state title came to an end with a 7-6, 6-0 quarterfinal loss to Grim. Bowles, a Michigan State signee and three-time champion on the girls side, opened with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Lexington’s Philip Etzel.
Henry Lessard, a junior, is two wins from capturing his third straight title – one in doubles last year and singles in 2024 – after sweeping two doubles matches with senior Adrian Schiff.
Lessard and Schiff beat Cincinnati Indian Hill’s Yousef Moussa and Jeremy Starczynowski 6-4, 6-1 and, in the last match of the day, topped Lexington’s Tony Palmer and Cooper Remy 6-1, 6-2.
Lessard and Schiff will play Pepper Pike Orange’s Atreya Bhatt and Sam Tokmazeysky in one semifinal. The other features Indian Hill’s Neelan Gandhi and Gareth Kurowski against Orange’s Zayd Adi and Joseph DeMata-Hiciano.
Columbus Academy junior Sujay Billakanty and freshman Arjun Satyapriya split two matches, losing to Gandhi and Kurowski 6-1, 6-2 in a quarterfinal. They opened with a 6-2, 6-1 sweep of Ottawa Hills’ Ian Marzano and Sahil Parikh.
Logan Elm senior Mason Wolfe and junior Zach Speas lost in the first round.
In Division I, New Albany senior Tyler Thomas reached the second day of the tournament for the first time, teaming with freshman Brady Kattan for wins over Solon’s Ashwin Ramachandran and Justin Reimschisel (6-1, 6-1) and Cincinnati Sycamore’s Abi Dinesh and Jake Farquhar (6-4, 6-2). They will meet Cincinnati St. Xavier’s Carson Dwyer and Nahil Narisetty in a semifinal.
“I’ve had a lot of matches here, but it’s definitely really special to get to the second day for the first time,” said Thomas, an Otterbein signee. “My forehand is my strength. [Kattan] has a really good backhand, so we are both great on those sides. I can hit the ball hard and he has great hands at the net. He is able to put the ball away.”
Olentangy Orange seniors Devan and Shailen Patel lost in a quarterfinal, 6-4, 6-3 to North Royalton’s Enrique Isaev and Jerrel Rayen after opening with a 6-1, 6-3 win over St. Xavier’s Henry Brandt and Conor Lynch.
In another quarterfinal, Whitehouse Anthony Wayne’s Will Black and Brody Sutto swept UA senior WK Abouhassan and junior Charlie Freiburger 6-1, 6-2. The Golden Bears duo started the tournament with a 6-2, 7-6 victory over Medina Highland’s Ani Katta and Sawyer Sulzener.
Orange senior Nikhil Bhimireddy and sophomore Sid Sharma lost in the first round.
High school sports reporter Dave Purpura can be reached at [email protected] and at @dp_dispatch on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: 6 central Ohio tennis players remain in hunt for OHSAA titles
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Lessard, a five-star recruit, even served underhand late in a 6-2, 7-6 (7-0) win over Kettering Alter’s Michael Shope at Lindner Family Tennis Center.
But fueled by adrenaline and the loud cheers of his two older brothers, 2025 doubles state championsHenry and Sam Lessard, Harrison survived persistent cramps in one of his biggest tests of the season and advanced to within two wins of bringing his team and family their third championship since 2024.
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“It was tough to battle that out,” said Lessard, who despite having to take a medical timeout in the second set led 5-3 before falling behind 6-5. “[It was] definitely adrenaline carrying me that last tiebreak. I don’t think I could have [won] that without my teammates on the sideline cheering for me, giving me the energy I needed.”
Lessard, who opened with a 6-0, 6-2 over Toledo Ottawa Hills’ Chris Thompson, will face West Milton Milton-Union’s Levi Brumbaugh in one semifinal May 29. Columbiana Heartland Christian’s Cooper Grim and Pepper Pike Orange’s Ilya Shcherbakov will square off in the other.
The championship and third-place matches are later in the day.
Central Ohio also has a chance at the Division I singles championship after Olentangy Liberty senior Shane Hand swept two matches May 28.
The Butler signee defeated Loveland’s Bode Zappin 6-1, 6-1 and Mentor’s Theodore Vanjo 6-2, 6-0 to reach the semifinals for the second time in three seasons. Hand will face defending champion Greg Bernadsky of Mason in one semifinal, and the other will pit Richfield Revere’s Finn Keenan against Sylvania Southview’s Landon Vens – Hand’s first cousin.
“It’s about sticking to the game plan,” said Hand, who placed fourth as a sophomore. “There were a few moments in both of those matches where it could have gone downhill fast, but just staying locked in mentally, staying present and focusing on one point at a time has really helped me.”
Vens defeated Upper Arlington junior Owen Hawley 6-2, 6-2 in a quarterfinal.
Olentangy senior Gavin Cheung and freshman teammate Aarush Andey both lost in the first round.
In Division II, Bexley senior Amiya Bowles’ hopes for a fourth state title came to an end with a 7-6, 6-0 quarterfinal loss to Grim. Bowles, a Michigan State signee and three-time champion on the girls side, opened with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Lexington’s Philip Etzel.
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Two central Ohio doubles duos still in OHSAA title hunt
Henry Lessard, a junior, is two wins from capturing his third straight title – one in doubles last year and singles in 2024 – after sweeping two doubles matches with senior Adrian Schiff.
Lessard and Schiff beat Cincinnati Indian Hill’s Yousef Moussa and Jeremy Starczynowski 6-4, 6-1 and, in the last match of the day, topped Lexington’s Tony Palmer and Cooper Remy 6-1, 6-2.
Lessard and Schiff will play Pepper Pike Orange’s Atreya Bhatt and Sam Tokmazeysky in one semifinal. The other features Indian Hill’s Neelan Gandhi and Gareth Kurowski against Orange’s Zayd Adi and Joseph DeMata-Hiciano.
Columbus Academy junior Sujay Billakanty and freshman Arjun Satyapriya split two matches, losing to Gandhi and Kurowski 6-1, 6-2 in a quarterfinal. They opened with a 6-2, 6-1 sweep of Ottawa Hills’ Ian Marzano and Sahil Parikh.
Logan Elm senior Mason Wolfe and junior Zach Speas lost in the first round.
In Division I, New Albany senior Tyler Thomas reached the second day of the tournament for the first time, teaming with freshman Brady Kattan for wins over Solon’s Ashwin Ramachandran and Justin Reimschisel (6-1, 6-1) and Cincinnati Sycamore’s Abi Dinesh and Jake Farquhar (6-4, 6-2). They will meet Cincinnati St. Xavier’s Carson Dwyer and Nahil Narisetty in a semifinal.
“I’ve had a lot of matches here, but it’s definitely really special to get to the second day for the first time,” said Thomas, an Otterbein signee. “My forehand is my strength. [Kattan] has a really good backhand, so we are both great on those sides. I can hit the ball hard and he has great hands at the net. He is able to put the ball away.”
Olentangy Orange seniors Devan and Shailen Patel lost in a quarterfinal, 6-4, 6-3 to North Royalton’s Enrique Isaev and Jerrel Rayen after opening with a 6-1, 6-3 win over St. Xavier’s Henry Brandt and Conor Lynch.
In another quarterfinal, Whitehouse Anthony Wayne’s Will Black and Brody Sutto swept UA senior WK Abouhassan and junior Charlie Freiburger 6-1, 6-2. The Golden Bears duo started the tournament with a 6-2, 7-6 victory over Medina Highland’s Ani Katta and Sawyer Sulzener.
Orange senior Nikhil Bhimireddy and sophomore Sid Sharma lost in the first round.
High school sports reporter Dave Purpura can be reached at [email protected] and at @dp_dispatch on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: 6 central Ohio tennis players remain in hunt for OHSAA titles
Continue reading...
