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JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Previous losses can serve as a huge motivating factor.
Westmont Hilltop senior Sebastian Masterson knew all too well the pain of losing in the District 6 Class 2A doubles final, having done so in each of his three previous seasons.
Masterson didn’t want history to repeat itself, so he and junior Brett Hoffman regrouped after a first-set loss as the second seed and rebounded to edge the top-seeded duo, senior Easton Ragno and junior John Allen, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) in the third straight all- Westmont Hilltop District 6 Class 2A doubles final Wednesday afternoon.
“As the match went on, in my head, I was like, ‘Wow, this is the last one. It’s win or lose,’ ” Masterson said.
It was the second straight season Hoffman won doubles gold, teaming with Ragno in 2024. Hoffman and Masterson put it on the line for each other in the 131-minute match in which momentum was flipped back and forth on a constant basis.
“ ‘Seabass’ has missed the state tournament for doubles three times in a row now,” Hoffman said. “I think the emotions and momentum just switched when he realized that if we don’t start winning after the first set, then we’re not going to be able to go.
“He started playing out of his mind.
“The energy just flipped. I think that’s what changed for us.”
Hoffman and Masterson will play in the PIAA first round May 23 in Hershey.
Both teams left it all on the court in a competitive match throughout.
“I think it was a good match,” Allen said. “Two very good teams. A three- setter, we shouldn’t really be mad about that.”
Ragno finished as this year’s District 6 singles and doubles runner-up. He won 2023 and 2024 district doubles crowns with Charlie Snee and Hoffman, respectively.
Wednesday was more evidence of how strong the Westmont Hilltop tennis program is.
“There’s nothing to say other than this proves how strong we are as a team,” Ragno said. “To have two doubles teams sweep the bracket, push through and face each other and give a great match only gives us great practice for both sides of it going into the team tournament.”
No. 1 seed Westmont Hilltop will host the winner of Monday’s match between Bishop McCort Catholic and Juniata at 3:30 p.m. May 7. The Hilltoppers have won two straight District 6 team titles.
Nine games went to deuce, including four of the final five in the first set.
Ragno and Allen trailed 5-3 in the third set, but won three consecutive games.
Hoffman and Masterson staved off elimination when trailing 6-5 in the third set. The duo prevailed to force a tiebreaker.
Ragno and Allen held a slim 2-1 lead in the tiebreaker, but Hoffman and Masterson reeled off four straight to lead 5-2.
A returning shot went long as Hoffman and Masterson rejoiced with a hard-earned victory.
“We were the obvious underdogs going into this,” Hoffman said. “We were the second seed.
“We haven’t played together in two, three years. It feels amazing. The expectations going into this was, to be honest, don’t get killed. As soon as we started to get going and realized what we could do, that’s when the momentum shifted and we took over.”
Masterson was glad the match ended because fatigue was starting to play a role.
“After we won, the adrenaline hit me all at once,” Masterson said. “I was getting super-tired there at the end. I could barely breathe. It was killing me. We ended up winning.”
Westmont Hilltop coach Dan Fregly was beaming with pride after watching the back-and-forth match.
“It was a great match,” Fregly said. “It all came down to the tiebreak, whoever wanted it the most. They all played great.
“I’m proud of every one of them. It could have turned out either way. Westmont won either way, which was great. You love the kids. I’m very proud of them. It was just an awesome match. For a D6 championship, that’s the way it should be.”
After a 1-all tie in the first set, Ragno and Allen won four straight games to lead 4-1. The duos split the four deuce games in the set, the final one going to Ragno and Allen to go up 6-3.
The script flipped in the second set. After a 1-all tie, Hoffman and Masterson prevailed in four consecutive games to to lead 4-1. Hoffman and Masterson won during a game that went to deuce for a 6-3 triumph.
Hoffman was glad to have still won despite giving up a late lead in the third set.
“I think adrenaline took over,” Hoffman said. “I don’t even remember half the match to be honest with you. Toward the end, it started getting a little more intense, started breathing a little bit heavier just out of wanting to win. The main focus was winning. I couldn’t focus on anything else.”
With each player knowing each other well, adjusting as the match wore on played a role.
“We stuck to our game plan pretty much,” Hoffman said. “It was a matter of whatever was working for us. We didn’t have a whole strategic thing going into this. It was we’re going to play it by ear. We had a plan going in, but it switched pretty quickly.”
Despite the intense match, the Hilltoppers reminded themselves they are on the same squad and will be competing for the district team title next week.
“For a third straight year, you get used to it, but we’re all still teammates here,” Masterson said. “We’re all still friends. We’re ready for team states now.”
Jake Oswalt is a copy editor for The Tribune-Democrat. Follow him on Twitter @TheWizOfOz11.
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Westmont Hilltop senior Sebastian Masterson knew all too well the pain of losing in the District 6 Class 2A doubles final, having done so in each of his three previous seasons.
Masterson didn’t want history to repeat itself, so he and junior Brett Hoffman regrouped after a first-set loss as the second seed and rebounded to edge the top-seeded duo, senior Easton Ragno and junior John Allen, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) in the third straight all- Westmont Hilltop District 6 Class 2A doubles final Wednesday afternoon.
“As the match went on, in my head, I was like, ‘Wow, this is the last one. It’s win or lose,’ ” Masterson said.
It was the second straight season Hoffman won doubles gold, teaming with Ragno in 2024. Hoffman and Masterson put it on the line for each other in the 131-minute match in which momentum was flipped back and forth on a constant basis.
“ ‘Seabass’ has missed the state tournament for doubles three times in a row now,” Hoffman said. “I think the emotions and momentum just switched when he realized that if we don’t start winning after the first set, then we’re not going to be able to go.
“He started playing out of his mind.
“The energy just flipped. I think that’s what changed for us.”
Hoffman and Masterson will play in the PIAA first round May 23 in Hershey.
Both teams left it all on the court in a competitive match throughout.
“I think it was a good match,” Allen said. “Two very good teams. A three- setter, we shouldn’t really be mad about that.”
Ragno finished as this year’s District 6 singles and doubles runner-up. He won 2023 and 2024 district doubles crowns with Charlie Snee and Hoffman, respectively.
Wednesday was more evidence of how strong the Westmont Hilltop tennis program is.
“There’s nothing to say other than this proves how strong we are as a team,” Ragno said. “To have two doubles teams sweep the bracket, push through and face each other and give a great match only gives us great practice for both sides of it going into the team tournament.”
No. 1 seed Westmont Hilltop will host the winner of Monday’s match between Bishop McCort Catholic and Juniata at 3:30 p.m. May 7. The Hilltoppers have won two straight District 6 team titles.
Nine games went to deuce, including four of the final five in the first set.
Ragno and Allen trailed 5-3 in the third set, but won three consecutive games.
Hoffman and Masterson staved off elimination when trailing 6-5 in the third set. The duo prevailed to force a tiebreaker.
Ragno and Allen held a slim 2-1 lead in the tiebreaker, but Hoffman and Masterson reeled off four straight to lead 5-2.
A returning shot went long as Hoffman and Masterson rejoiced with a hard-earned victory.
“We were the obvious underdogs going into this,” Hoffman said. “We were the second seed.
“We haven’t played together in two, three years. It feels amazing. The expectations going into this was, to be honest, don’t get killed. As soon as we started to get going and realized what we could do, that’s when the momentum shifted and we took over.”
Masterson was glad the match ended because fatigue was starting to play a role.
“After we won, the adrenaline hit me all at once,” Masterson said. “I was getting super-tired there at the end. I could barely breathe. It was killing me. We ended up winning.”
Westmont Hilltop coach Dan Fregly was beaming with pride after watching the back-and-forth match.
“It was a great match,” Fregly said. “It all came down to the tiebreak, whoever wanted it the most. They all played great.
“I’m proud of every one of them. It could have turned out either way. Westmont won either way, which was great. You love the kids. I’m very proud of them. It was just an awesome match. For a D6 championship, that’s the way it should be.”
After a 1-all tie in the first set, Ragno and Allen won four straight games to lead 4-1. The duos split the four deuce games in the set, the final one going to Ragno and Allen to go up 6-3.
The script flipped in the second set. After a 1-all tie, Hoffman and Masterson prevailed in four consecutive games to to lead 4-1. Hoffman and Masterson won during a game that went to deuce for a 6-3 triumph.
Hoffman was glad to have still won despite giving up a late lead in the third set.
“I think adrenaline took over,” Hoffman said. “I don’t even remember half the match to be honest with you. Toward the end, it started getting a little more intense, started breathing a little bit heavier just out of wanting to win. The main focus was winning. I couldn’t focus on anything else.”
With each player knowing each other well, adjusting as the match wore on played a role.
“We stuck to our game plan pretty much,” Hoffman said. “It was a matter of whatever was working for us. We didn’t have a whole strategic thing going into this. It was we’re going to play it by ear. We had a plan going in, but it switched pretty quickly.”
Despite the intense match, the Hilltoppers reminded themselves they are on the same squad and will be competing for the district team title next week.
“For a third straight year, you get used to it, but we’re all still teammates here,” Masterson said. “We’re all still friends. We’re ready for team states now.”
Jake Oswalt is a copy editor for The Tribune-Democrat. Follow him on Twitter @TheWizOfOz11.
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