Seward Tennis Wins Men’s and Women’s No. 1 Singles at Region 6 Championships
PRATT, Kan. – Seward County tennis crowned three Region 6 singles champions, including titles in both men's and women's No. 1 singles, as the Saints wrapped up the Region 6 Championships last week in Pratt. Mishel Lobotenko and Gaspard Bicrel-Bantegny captured top-flight regional crowns, while Meryl Genevrier added a title at No. 3 singles. The Seward men finished third in the four-team field, while the women placed fourth.
The Saints' top performances came at No. 1 singles, where Mishel Lobotenko and Gaspard Bicrel Bantegny each claimed Region 6 titles.
Lobotenko delivered one of Seward's top performances of the weekend, battling through the top women's flight to earn the No. 1 singles championship. After dropping the opening set in the title match, she responded by winning the next two sets in dominant fashion to claim the regional crown.
Bicrel-Bantegny matched that feat on the men's side, capturing the No. 1 singles title to give the Saints a sweep of the top singles flights.
Genevrier added Seward's third Region 6 championship by claiming the No. 3 singles crown, giving the Saints three individual regional champions on the weekend.
The Seward men added more strong results throughout the lineup, highlighted by Theo Cabre's run to the championship match at No. 2 singles and additional deep runs in singles and doubles play.
On the women's side, Salma Achik turned in another standout showing with a run to the No. 5 singles championship match, while Seward also posted strong doubles performances, including late-round appearances from the pairings of Rosaline Akombo and Lobotenko and Achik and Paula Elena Oborocea.
With three Region 6 singles champions, including titles in both No. 1 flights, the Saints closed the regional tournament with one of their strongest collective performances of the season.
The NJCAA National Tournament is up next for Seward with the women competing in Sumter, South Carolina, from May 2-6 and the men in Plano, Texas, from May 11-15.