A week after freshmen phenom Matt FitzMaurice was taken down in the District 11 AAA singles final, FitzMaurice teamed up with junior Rowan Hobson in the District 11 doubles tournament. Ironically, the road to the final went through a familiar pairing.

In the semifinal round, FitzMaurice/Hobson defeated fellow teammates Ryan Jaeger and Mike Hensler 6-1, 6-0, and they did not lose more than two games in a set up to the final. But Parkland's No. 1 seed of Egor Ivanov and Nick Kshatri held on for a 6-4, 6-2 win and the AAA championship.

The first set was the type seen in a championship round. It was back-and-forth and each point was a crucial one. It was a heated encounter that the typical Parkland-Emmaus sporting events bring to the table.

After losing the first game, FitzMaurice and Hobson battled back to take the next three. But Ivanov and Kshatri found another gear to win five of the next six games and take the first set 6-4.

"They weren't so much tired out as much as just things weren't working as well as they were in the first couple of games," said head coach Dimitri Diamandopoulos. "I think they played well throughout, and had their stamina going. I just think some things didn't fall our way; a double fault here, or a missed forehand there."

The Parkland duo took complete control of the second set, winning the first three games and taking a 3-0 lead. FitzMaurice and Hobson were close to going down 4-0 when the game went to a third deuce. But Hobson's serve was not returned, and Emmaus got on the board.

The Green Hornets pair was shut out the next game, and would lose two of the final three games to finish runner-up.

"Overall I think it was a great match," noted Diamandopoulos. "It was hard-fought. In doubles it can go either way. And we knew what we were up against with Egor and Nick. But we're assuming that this is where it's going to be again with these two. They're great players and great teammates so I think they'll be back."

The Emmaus boys tennis program has a bright future ahead with these two back next year.