The paths of Hempfield’s Cooper Lehman and Lancaster Country Day’s Michael Georgelis have intertwined over the years.
Saturday at Hershey Racquet Club, they crossed again as the juniors both won District Three boys tennis titles.
Lehman was a 6-1, 6-0 winner over Cedar Crest’s Viseth Meng in the Class 3A final, while Georgelis took the 2A crown with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Armaan Malik of Conrad Weiser.
The two champions followed up on the Lancaster-Lebanon League titles they captured Monday. The two also battled it out at the championship match of the L-L team tournament April 23, but never finished as Country Day won 3-1, not needing the outcome of their No. 1 singles match. Each had won a set and Lehman led 3-2 in the third.
And while it was Lehman’s third district title in three tries, it was the first district singles title for Georgelis, though he won in 2A doubles last year and finished third behind Lehman in 3A singles two years ago while playing for Manheim Township.
“Unreal,” Lehman said of his title. “I’m not really expecting anything going into it. I try to keep myself composed, one match at a time. So, yes, it’s really, really awesome that I was able to come through.”
While having an easy time in defeating Meng, Lehman was extended to three sets against Ephrata freshman Zach Keiper in their semifinal.
“Zach, he’s a great player, and he definitely stepped up his game and caught me off-guard a bit ... but all the games were close and he just got those extra shots that got him that set,” said Lehman, who had easy 6-1, 6-0 wins sandwiched around Keiper’s 6-3 win in the second set. The two had met in Monday’s L-L 3A final, which Lehman won 6-4, 6-1.
Lehman became just the fifth 3A player to win three district crowns and has a chance to join Dallastown’s Holden Koons as the only ones with four.
“It’s really fun to just get to experience this with him,” said Hempfield coach Mindi Bell. “He works very hard in the offseason and that’s why he gets as far as he does.”
Meng, meanwhile, was the surprise of the tournament, finishing second as an unseeded player. He knocked off third-seeded Ross Kluger of Cumberland Valley 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 in Friday’s quarterfinals, then stunned second-seeded Hayden Koons of Dallastown 6-3, 6-4 in Saturday’s other semifinal.
“I really felt like I just eliminated some of the nerves I’ve been feeling throughout the season,” said Meng, a junior who will be making his first trip to the PIAA Championships. “I just really tried to focus on every single point and not think about any results or consequences, and that really helped me.”
Koons defeated Keiper 6-1, 6-2 in the third-place match, though both players already had qualified for the PIAA Championships in three weeks.
Georgelis continued a recent tradition of district dominance for Country Day, giving the Cougars their fifth straight 2A singles champion, following three straight by Nile Abadir — who became the fourth player to win three 2A crowns, but didn’t have a chance at four titles because the championships were canceled due to the pandemic in his freshman year — and Jonah Rebert in 2019.
“It’s pretty great; I was able to come through some tough matches today,” said Georgelis. “I think I stayed consistent the whole tournament, played well and didn’t let up much. I was really happy with that.
“It feels really good to win singles for the first time.”
Georgelis followed up on his No. 1 seeding, rolling to two 6-0, 6-0 wins Friday, then adding a 6-1, 6-1 decision against fourth-seeded Dylan Bonds of Twin Valley in the semifinals.
“Once he gets his timing in, he’s tough,” said LCD coach Chris Wilson. “Once he gets you on the run, and you give him a couple short balls, it’s usually going to come out in his favor.”
Malik, the No. 2 seed, got to the final with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Truman Peters of Wyomissing in the semis. Peters upset third-seeded Parker Sanders of Bermudian Springs in Friday’s semifinals.
Lehman, Georgelis and Meng will be back in action Monday in the district team tournament, with the finals Wednesday at HRC. District doubles will be next Friday and Saturday.
