Last week’s 38th annual girls’ tennis Union County Tournament at the Donald Van Blake Courts in Plainfield had Linden back on top again at first singles and a parochial school supplanting perennial winner Westfield as the champion.
For the second time in three years – she did not compete in last year’s tournament – Linden’s Joanna Zalewski captured the first singles title. This time the junior defeated Mimi MacCowatt of Kent Place in the final 6-1, 6-0.
Kent Place, sparked by the second doubles winning tandem of Olivia Kornish and Radhika Siva, captured the team title for the first time since 2004, finishing with 76 points.
Westfield, which won the last eight championships, finished tied for second with Oak Knoll with 68 points. The Blue Devils have won the most titles with 17.
Kent Place won the crown for the eighth time, which is third-best behind Oak Knoll’s 10 championships.
Also victorious for Linden was Olivia Podsiebierski at second singles, the junior defeating Caroline King of Westfield 6-0, 6-0 in the final for her first crown.
For the first time in program history Linden had two players win county championships at singles positions.
Podsiebierski played first singles last year.
Linden was fourth with 52 points, followed by Summit with 29, Gov. Livingston with 19, Cranford with 16, Scotch Plains with 13 and New Providence with nine.
In the third singles final, Ana Santoyo of Oak Knoll defeated Isabelle Donatelli of Kent Place 6-1, 6-4.
In the first doubles final, Julia Criscuolo and Julia Morgan of Westfield downed Nisha Sambamurthy and Ellie Falivene of Kent Place 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.
Kornish and Siva bested Kaitlin Schroeder and Nicole Baiocco of Oak Knoll 6-2, 6-4 in the second doubles final.
UCT GIRLS’ TENNIS CHAMPIONS:
2013: Kent Place
2012: Westfield
2011: Westfield
2010: Westfield
2009: Westfield
2008: Westfield
2007: Westfield
2006: Westfield
2005: Westfield
2004: Kent Place
2003: Kent Place
2002: Kent Place
2001: Westfield
2000: Oak Knoll
1999: Oak Knoll
1998: Westfield
1997: Westfield
1996: Gov. Livingston, Scotch Plains – co-champs
1995: Oak Knoll
1994: Oak Knoll
1993: Oak Knoll
1992: Oak Knoll, Kent Place – co-champs
1991: Kent Place
1990: Kent Place
1989: Kent Place
1988: Oak Knoll
1987: Oak Knoll
1986: Oak Knoll
1985: Oak Knoll
1984: Summit
1983: Summit
1982: Westfield
1981: Cranford
1980: Westfield
1979: Westfield
1978: Westfield
1977: Westfield
1976: Westfield
CHAMPIONSHIPS: Westfield 17, Oak Knoll 10,
Kent Place 8, Summit 2,
Scotch Plains, Gov. Livingston, Cranford 1.