Brandywine wins seventh straight title

Published 9:52 am Monday, May 13, 2019

BERRIEN SPRINGS — Like death and taxes, you can count on the Brandywine tennis team to deliver when it comes to conference and regional championships.

The Bobcats continued their stranglehold on the BCS Athletic Conference by winning their seventh consecutive league championship and their 12th in the last 15 years.

How dominant was Brandywine at this year’s conference tournament hosted by Berrien Springs?

Brandywine scored 47 out of a possible 48 team points.

Veteran Brandywine coach Joe Marazita knows he has all the pieces in the right places.

“When you put all eight flights in the finals, you have something special happening,” he said. “Then to win seven of them, it turns to an outstanding performance. These kids get it that we are not entitled to anything and have to earn everything and they did.”

Brandywine won three out of the four singles championships with Megan Schmidt, exchange student Laia Puertlas and Kimberly Solloway picking up titles in the first, second and third flights.

Brandywine was even more dominant in doubles, where it brought home all four titles.

Schmidt and the No. 1 doubles team of Maigon Conrad and Ava Moody played at a different site, but set the table for the Bobcats according to Marazita.

“It is rare to have all your flights earn all-conference honors,” he said. “Coach [Rich] Robbins and myself are very proud of our team and their achievement. Just a solid group of kids.”