Tennis Team Set to Defend WPIAL Title

| Tuesday, March 21, 2017, TRIB-LIVE

The Fox Chapel boys tennis team posted a 20-1 record, won the WPIAL championship and finished as the PIAA runner-up last season in Alex Slezak’s first year as coach.

If the Foxes are to make a repeat performance, it will be under the guidance of former coach Dave Prevost, who is filling in temporarily for Slezak.

He will have a strong contingent of players returning despite the graduation of Sidd Rajupet, Thomas Fennell and Lucas Fennell.

Chief among the returnees will be sophomore Robbie Shymansky.

He claimed the Section 3 singles crown, finished third in the WPIAL singles championships and qualified for states last season.

Senior Neil Bencherif returns, along with senior Jared Cohen, juniors Kurran Singh and Karsten Lagerquist and talented sophomores Jared Nord and Jay Kashyap.

Freshman Milo Baron also is expected to contribute.

“I don’t have a set lineup yet,” Prevost said.

“With the balance we have, we’re still bunched up. One thing is certain, though, we are deep in talent. How that will convert to performance this season is yet to be determined.”