The State’s best: Meet the 2023 all-area high school boys tennis team

Lou Bezjak
River Bluff Tennis Photo

A look at The State’s Midlands all-area boys tennis team and players of the year for the 2023 season.

All-Area Boys Tennis Team

▪ Elijah Crain, Dutch Fork: Silver Foxes’ No. 1 singles player helped them to a spot in Class 5A Lower State championship. Selected to play in the Class 4A/5A state singles championship.

▪ Slade Funderburk, Camden: Sophomore went 12-2 and was all-state selection and part of Bulldogs’ state championship team. Selected to play in the Class A/2A/3A state singles championship.

▪ David Pope, Camden: Junior was No. 1 singles player of 3A state champion Camden tennis squad. Pope went 14-1 this season. Selected to play in the Class A/2A/3A state singles championship.

▪ Nakul Ranjith, Irmo: Sophomore went 12-5, selected to play in Class 4A/5A state singles championship and was Region 5-4A Player of the Year for second straight year.

▪ Poojith Reddy, Spring Valley: Senior was 26-3 this season, was Region 3-5A Player of the Year and finished fourth in Class 4A/5A state singles tournament. Selected to play in North-South all-star tennis matches.

▪ Hollis Ruff, Batesburg-Leesville: Junior was Region 3-2A Player of the Year and went 11-1 on the season. Selected to play in the Class A/2A/3A state singles championship.

▪ Rintaro Saito, River Bluff: The senior went 18-4, was Region 4-5A Player of the Year and finished third in Class 4A/5A state singles tournament. Selected to play in North-South all-star tennis matches.

▪ James Smyth, AC Flora: Falcons No. 1 singles and doubles player. Went 12-6 and was selected to play in Class 4A/5A state singles’ tournament.

▪ Owen Stikeleather, Brookland-Cayce: Bearcats’ No. 1 singles player, all-region selection was selected to play in Class A/2A/3A state singles’ tournament.

—The State’s Player of the Year—

Rintaro Saito, River Bluff

—Readers’ choice Player of the Year (Fan vote)—

David Pope, Camden

Honorable Mention

Layne Bailey, Brookland-Cayce; William Beasley, AC Flora; Jack Brown, Cardinal Newman; Ashwin Chidam, Lexington; William Echols, Ben Lippen; Will Gierhart, Chapin; Bernard Guinyard, White Knoll; Braydon Jeffcoat, River Bluff; McAulay Kalish, Dreher; Seigo Maeda, Dutch Fork; Dalton Meador, Gilbert; Aidan Murphy, Irmo; Turner Rice, Heathwood Hall; Falcon Rivers, Fairfield Central; Jacob Smith, Gilbert; Tarun Ramkumar, Blythewood

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