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For three days, Matthew Staton played at three different tennis courts on the Virginia Peninsula.
The weather and previously planned events moved Staton from Huntington Park in Newport News on Thursday to Old Dominion University’s James River Country Club in Newport News on Saturday.
Through all the last-minute changes, Staton remained focused on establishing himself as the first Prince William County tennis player to win the state title as the Brentsville boys ’pair team won the Group A championship in 1975.
On Saturday, Colgan’s freshman won the Lake Braddocks Dustin Ha 6-3, 6-1 class 6 state boys doubles championship.
Doug Laughin of Brentsville is the last county player to win the state title when he received the title of Group A boys in 1973. Jimmy Davis, a graduate of Stonewall Jackson, is the last county player to compete for a state tennis loss when he lost to the group. AAA Championship 2010.
He is already above all other abilities, said Colgan tennis coach Janen Viggiani. What makes me most impressed is his mental perseverance. You can’t get to his head.
The Class 6 state final was originally planned for Huntington Park, across the street from the hotel where Viggiani lived. But on Saturdays, rain forced officials to find another site. The ODU was to host the state finals after it became a state Friday on Friday.
But Viggiani learned from VHSL on Saturday morning at 8 a.m. that ODU was no longer available because it hosted the Universal Tennis Rating Tournament.
Playing at the Virginia Beach facility was an opportunity, but it meant holding the match at 5 or 6 p.m., too long a wait for players ready to start at 10 a.m., VHSL officials returned to Huntington Park again on Saturday and teams reported playing there at noon. But the rain still posed a challenge.
Viggiani and the Lake Braddock coach discussed the possibility of playing the match back in Northern Virginia. A competing Sunday was also highlighted.
But then VHSL official Tom Dolan informed the coaches that the James River Country Club was available. The final began at about 1pm and ended in less than an hour and 15 minutes with champion Staton.
“I’ve played on many pitches,” said Staton, Virginia’s highest-ranked freshman tennisrecruiting.net. “Every time I warm up to get a sense of court and get used to it. It doesn’t take too long, but it’s a factor.”
Staton and George Mason’s university-bound Ha knew each other about playing years ago at the Fairfax Racquet Club, but they had never met until Saturday.
Staton kept Ha’s pressure on the plan to use him to the end and not let him use his effective hand to his advantage.
I wanted to give him room to breathe, Staton said.
Staton was the main attraction this weekend, but kept its success in perspective.
I was told it was a big deal, Staton said. But I live in an instant. While it’s a big deal, I’m a freshman. I went in knowing I had to play well to win.
He and teammate Rebhi Villasmil Rodriquez won the semi-finals of a Class 6 state pair in Huntington Park on Thursday. Staton then won the doubles final on Friday with Cosbys Connor Johnson, 6-0, 6-0, before he and Villasmil Rodriquez lost to Chantilly that afternoon in the doubles final 6-2, 6-2.
He walks into the tournament, and seniors and former players are coming to him, Viggiani said. They know him. He’s a hot ticket everyone wanted to watch.
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