Wiregrass Ranch sophomore Agie Moreno made North Suncoast history Friday, becoming the first player from a public Pasco County school to win an individual tennis state championship.
A day after winning the team singles title and helping the Bulls tie for first as a team, he knocked off Fort Myers’ John Carlin 6-1, 4-6, 10-3 to claim the overall Class 3A championship.
“I was very excited that I could be part of that moment,” Moreno said.
His day started well. He dominated at the net and looked to have the match in hand.
“Agie came out just ready to play,” Bulls coach Dave Wilson said.
Moreno faced set point in the first before rain began to fall at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs. The showers forced an hour delay — and caused Moreno to struggle briefly in the second.
“It kind of took me out of the rhythm for the second set,” Moreno said.
Moreno won six of the first seven points in the tiebreaker to pull ahead for good.
He joins Saddlebrook Prep’s Jose Muguruza (2002) and Keith Brill (1994) as Pasco County’s only two boys individual champions.
Moreno said that he plans to play high school tennis again next year to defend his state championship.
Girls: Largo’s top doubles team of Alexis Franco and Laurel Wanger had to wait through a weather delay at Sanlando Park before playing their Class 3A individual doubles championship match Frida.
After the delay, Franco and Wanger started hot but eventually lost 0-6, 6-4, 10-5 to Naples’ Nikki Kallenberg and Letizia Atzen.
Franco and Wanger, playing together for the first time this season, made the final by winning both matches Thursday in straight sets. For Franco, a sophomore, this was her second runnerup finish. She lost to Kallenberg in the individual singles final 6-2, 6-4 Thursday.
Rodney Page, Times staff writer