Oxford's happy return
PENN TWP — Oxford Athletic Club celebrated its return to the West Penn Interclub Junior Tennis Championship the only way it saw fit: by winning it.
The club's 18-and-under mixed doubles team of Brett O'Donnell and Mattie Taylor won its division while Josh Raymundo and Ann Taylor captured the 12-and-under level Thursday at Butler Country Club.
Each club's final standing was determined by its showing in both age divisions, which were decided by a round-robin format.
Oxford finished with 12 points, three points ahead of Butler Junior Tennis Association, which finished second.
Three teams tied for third with six points, Butler Country Club, Forest Hills Swim Club and Lakevue Athletic Club, and Mount Lebanon Tennis Association was last with three points.
Oxford, located in Wexford, won three straight West Penn titles from 2006-08, but it didn't compete in the event last year.
"It's our director of tennis who decides what events we go to," said Oxford coach Brandon Stewart. "I'm not sure why we didn't come (last year). We probably should have.
"This event gives us a chance to compete against Lakevue, our biggest rival," added Stewart.
O'Donnell and Mattie Taylor finished with a 4-1 record, falling only to Butler Country Club's duo of Jack Boros and Brooke Ross.
"I didn't know about our club winning three straight," said O'Donnell, who will be a sophomore at Pine-Richland High. "But we definitely wanted to win today."
Raymundo's uncle, Jose, won a WPIAL boys singles title at Seneca Valley in 1989.
"I've also played football and baseball," said Josh Raymundo, a seventh-grader at Mars Middle School. "I enjoy playing both singles and doubles in tennis."
Many of the mixed doubles teams featured in Thursday's event had never been paired before, but that didn't stop Raymundo and Ann Taylor from going 5-0.
"We practiced at the club on Tuesday," said Taylor. "It wasn't too hard getting used to each other."
Even for the teams that didn't go home with a trophy, the event was worthwhile.
"It's a different format," said Butler Junior Tennis' Kemper May, who just graduated from Butler after helping the Golden Tornado to a PIAA boys team title. "But it was a lot of fun. I enjoyed it."
Tournament director and BCC tennis pro Whitney Snyder hopes future West Penn events include more teams.
"You have 18-year-old kids out here cheering for 12-year-old kids," said Snyder. "The kids enjoy it and we really appreciate everybody who has jumped on the bandwagon.
"I thought things went really well today," Snyder added. "The weather was perfect and this is meant to be an outdoor, summer event."
