Gateway’s tennis run comes to close in PIAA quarterfinals

By: Michael Love
Sunday, May 25, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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The Gateway boys tennis team had its sights set on a run to the PIAA Class 3A championship match when it kicked off its tournament May 13 against District 3 third-place finisher Manheim Township at Pure Athletex in Marshall Township.

The Gators, led by the singles trio of seniors Adam Memije and Zidaan Hassan and junior Logan Memije, advanced with a 3-2 win and secured a spot in Hershey for the Elite Eight a couple of days later.

But the stay at the Hershey Racquet Club was shorter than the Gateway players would’ve liked as they suffered a 3-2 quarterfinal loss to District 1 runner-up Central Bucks East.

Despite the loss, Matt Stockunas said he was proud of how each of his seven in the starting lineup carried themselves and battled. Gateway capped its season at 13-1 with another section title, its second WPIAL championship in three seasons, and a third straight trip to the PIAA tournament.

“It was just another phenomenal team season,” Stockunas said. “Everyone on the team showed a lot of heart all the way through.”

CB East won both doubles matches. The No. 1 Gateway doubles combination of juniors Troy Boden and Abdulwasay Syed and the No. 2 pairing of junior Abuzar Hameez and sophomore Issac Shaw were not able to string enough game wins together and fell in straight sets.

At the same time, Logan Memije and Hassan were getting the job done at No. 3 and No. 2 singles, respectively.

Logan Memije won his match, 6-4, 6-4, and when Hassan finished off his come-from-behind three-set win, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1, all eyes were on the No. 1 singles match between Adam Memije and CB East sophomore Sal Ponamgi.

Ponamgi won the first set, 6-3, before Adam Memije rallied for a 6-3 win.

Memije had a 5-4 lead in the third set and was on serve up 30-0 before Ponamgi came back to tie the set.

He won the last two games to take the set, 7-5, and give CB West the win.

“It was just so close throughout,” Stockunas said.

“It was a fierce battle back and forth. There were a couple of close calls that didn’t go his way in that game up 5-4. He lost that game, and it kind of snowballed from there. He just wasn’t able to get his momentum back. But he just kept fighting and battling right to the end.”

Adam Memije and Ponamgi were on the same side of the bracket for this past weekend’s PIAA Class 3A singles tournament in Hershey. Two wins by each player would have produced a rematch in Saturday’s semifinals.

All five matches against Manheim Central ended in straight sets. Manheim Central was strong in the doubles with seniors in three of the four positions.

“It was a good win to start the tournament,” Stockunas said. “The doubles teams were competitive in all of the games taking it to deuce a number of times.”

Logan Memije is undefeated at 43-0 through three years at No. 3 singles.

Hassan, Stockunas said, started a little slow in his match against Manheim, but he was able to get it going for his straight-set win.

“Once he found his groove, he was able to roll through their No. 2, and Adam was pretty much dominant in his match.”

With Adam Memijee and Hassan moving on to Allegheny College, it creates two voids in the starting lineup.

While Logan Memije is certain to move up to No. 1 singles, Stockunas said he’s ready to see how next spring’s lineup will take shape.

“Troy is probably at the top of the list to move up, and Isaac has shown tremendous growth over this past year,” Stockunas said.

“Both are already back training with Rashid (Hassan) four, five, six days a week. They are hungry, and they want to get better where they can put themselves in position with good competition to take those two singles spots.”

Stockunas said if Syed and Hameez can continue to work and train hard, they also will be in the mix.

Freshmen Daniel Bandos, Stockunas said, has grown leaps and bounds this past year and is one who could make an impact in doubles or even push some of the others to challenge for singles.

Another freshman, Anirudh Sherigar, could be in the mix for a spot in the varsity lineup.

“Everyone’s goal is to maintain the success we’ve achieved the past couple of seasons,” Stockunas said.

“As long as everyone continues to put in the time and effort in the offseason. That is where it counts where you can improve your game, get the hits in, get the strokes in, and work on your serve, things like that.”

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

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