Norwin’s Santilli & Fox Chapel’s Nord/James Win State Tennis Titles

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, November 5, 2016 | 9:28 PM

Three WPIAL tennis players were able to win Class 3-A state titles Saturday at the 2016 PIAA Girls Singles and Doubles Tennis Championships at the Hershey Racquet Club. While district players were shut out of the medal chanse in Class 2-A, Maria Santili of Norwin won  the PIAA 3-A singles title while Amanda Nord and Charlotte James of Fox Chapel cruised to the PIAA 3-A double championship.

Norwin’s Santili a junior won 6-4 6-4 over Eliza Askarova from George Washington. Up until the finals, Santili had only lost 9 total games in 6 sets and reached the finals rather easily. She was tested Saturday in a close match but brought home a PIAA state singles title.

In 3-A doubles, Nord a junior and James a freshman were never seriously challenged in the tournament. The only game loss was in the first round as they won 6-0, 6-1. In the Quarterfinals on Friday and the Semifinals earlier on Saturday, they won both by the same score of  6-0, 6-0. In the finals they met fellow WPIAL participants Devin and Erin Gramley of Shady Side Academy. The final was 6-2, 6-2.  The title match was their toughest of the state tournament but Nord and James fought off their fellow district foes to bring home a PIAA doubles crown.