McLean Highlanders Boys Tennis Team Wins Liberty District Championship

McLean High Tenns Team Coach Aavo Tomkov shared this story about the team's Libery District Championship.

The McLean High School boys tennis team completed Liberty District play with a perfect 14-0 record and achieved only its second district boys tennis championship in school history. 

McLean is blessed with talent so deep that two competitive teams could be fielded from its large squad.

Notable district singles records were achieved by #1 Nik Padmanabhan 13-0, #2 (senior) Kayvon Mobarakeh 10-0, #3 Kyle Chisu Edwards 11-1, #4 Mike Padmanabhan 14-0, #5 Ahmed Skaljic 9-2 and #6 (senior) Bing Waid 9-0.  Other key members of the team who subbed in because of absences were also undefeated: Kristian KC 8-0, Mark Martinkov 2-0, Joon C. Yee 3-0 and Fateh Nasir 2-0.  The Highlanders only had three singles losses out of 14 matches, winning over 96% of the time.  

In doubles, #1 Nik Padmanabhan/Kayvon Mobarakeh, #2 Ahmed Skaljic/Bing Waid, and #3 Kristian KC/Joon C. Yee had the important chemistry to play well together.  Captain and senior Louis Gruber won twice at #1 doubles, but was out injured for the vast majority of the season; Louis was part of last year’s Liberty District #1 doubles team with Nik Padmanabhan.  After the necessary points were achieved to win the team victories, a number of lower level players were subbed in at doubles with excellent wins from Zach Spahr, Stephen Chretien and Matt Solomon.

The other top two Liberty District boys tennis teams are #2 Thomas Jefferson and #3 Langley.  At the end of the regular season, Jefferson and Langley were tied for second with identical 12-2 records and 1-1 in head-to-head competition.  A play-off was held on May 4^th and Thomas Jefferson won 5-3.  

All three Liberty District teams will compete in the Northern Region boys tennis tournament that begins on Monday, May 14. McLean (14-0), along with the other three district champions (Patriot District's Lake Braddock HS (13-1), Concorde District's Robinson HS (10-1) and National District's Washington-Lee HS (15-1)), will have a first round bye.  TJ and Langley will play May 14.