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Bexley boys tennis wins OTCA Division II team state championship

The Bexley boys tennis team ended its weekend in Mason by achieving one of its top goals all along and earning some revenge along the way.

The Lions won their first Ohio Tennis Coaches Association state championship in nine years May 30, edging Cincinnati Indian Hill 3-2 in the Division II final at Lindner Family Tennis Center.

After an injury-plagued OHSAA individual state tournament that saw him have to retire from his semifinal and forfeit the third-place match a day earlier, freshman Harrison Lessard won the decisive contest May 30, 7-5, 7-6 over Indian Hill’s Gareth Kurowski at second singles.

Bexley freshman Harrison Lessard sealed his team's Ohio Tennis Coaches Association Division II state championship with a 7-5, 7-6 win over Cincinnati Indian Hill's Gareth Kurowski.

Kurowski and Neelan Gandhi defeated Bexley senior Adrian Schiff and junior Henry Lessard on May 29 in the OHSAA doubles final, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 7-6 (7-3).

In the team final, Henry Lessard defeated Gandhi 6-1, 6-1 at first singles and senior Amiya Bowles swept Eli Camp 6-4, 6-3 at third singles. Bowles, a Michigan State women’s signee, skipped the girls season last fall to focus on non-scholastic tournaments.

Bexley (12-10) dropped both doubles matches in the final.

Schiff and junior Luke Hollo lost to Vedant Buch and Jeremy Starczynowski 6-1, 6-1 at No. 1 doubles, and at second doubles senior Jack Ryan and freshman Hunter Weiland fell to Will Jordan and Yossef Moussa 6-1, 6-1.

Bexley, which was making its first team state appearance since 2022, also won the first OTCA title in 1975.

The Lions swept Lexington 3-0 in a semifinal earlier May 30.

Henry Lessard defeated Cooper Remy 6-1, 6-1, Harrison Lessard and Weiland beat Tony Palmer and Ben Wiltanger 6-0, 6-3 at first doubles and Schiff and Hollo topped Brighton Boerner and Preston Huyhn 6-2, 7-2 at second doubles.

OTCA matches end as soon as one team wins three courts.

Olentangy Orange falls in Division I final

Appearing in its third big-school state tournament in four seasons, Orange (18-3) lost 3-1 to Cincinnati St. Xavier in the final.

Orange also finished second in 2023 and 2024, its only previous appearances at state.

St. Xavier won its first state title since 2009. The Bombers had defeated defending champion Mason in the Southwest District final.

Orange edged Toledo St. John’s 3-2 in a semifinal, getting wins from senior Shailen Patel at first singles (6-1, 6-0 over Miles Green), junior Luke Rutherford at No. 2 singles (7-6, 6-4 over Logan McGurk) and the second doubles team of seniors Parth Khanvilkar and Aiden Tang (6-2, 6-0 over Nyle Ahmed and Wasay Syed).

High school sports reporter Dave Purpura can be reached at dpurpura@dispatch.com and at @dp_dispatch on X.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Bexley boys tennis wins Ohio high school state championship

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