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Collin Matiza
US-BASED Zimbabwean tennis coach Julius Mashonganyika once again waved his magic wand when he led Meridian High School to a regional championship in Virginia last Wednesday.
Mashonganyika is the head coach of the Virginia-based Meridian High School and was over the moon after his boys team beat Maggie Walker 5-3 in the Regional Finals.
According to reports from Virginia, Meridian High School was a busy place last Wednesday afternoon, with the boys’ tennis squad competing in the regional finals against Maggie Walker while baseball opened up its post-season against William Monroe.
The tennis match was moved up a day after initially being scheduled last Thursday, but the boys were ready for battle, as were those on the field just across from them.
Things didn’t get off to an ideal start as the Mustangs dropped their first two singles match-ups, but then they were able to rattle off four straight with Ryan Carroll, Ben Behr, Luc Slothouwer, and Max von Schriltz all taking victories.
Then, Slothouwer and Von Schriltz were able to win their doubles contest to clinch the victory for Meridian and raise the trophy for winning the regional championship.
They will compete in the States next, opening up their quest for a title at that level on Friday, May 31 against Lafayette.
Mashonganyika couldn’t hide his excitement after his latest achievement as a high-level tennis coach in the US.
The Zimbabwean coach has established himself as one of the best high school coaches in the US.
“On Wednesday we won the championship. Our high school boys’ tennis team played very well. Our girl’s tennis team lost in the finals as well on Tuesday. We are the tennis champions of the future. I am very proud to be the Varsity Boys Head Tennis Team for the Mustangs.
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world,” Mashonganyika told Zimpapers Sport from his base in Fayetteville, United States, yesterday.
The baseball game began at just past 6pm on Thursday, with Grant Greiner returning to the mound after being sidelined from pitching for several weeks due to an injury.
It was a low-scoring game for both teams with no runs in the first two innings, and Greiner pitched three score-less frames before Alessio Azimipour came in to relieve him.
The Mustangs got on the scoreboard at the bottom of the third courtesy of Mason Duval batting in Will Hladky, and that would prove to be the difference in the game as Meridian took the 1-0 win.
They will now go on the road to face Brentsville in the Regional Semi-finals tomorrow.
Online Reporter