If things panned out that allowed Mason Groff and John Yurconic to return to the state playoffs in doubles play, the goal was simple and straightforward.

“We knew coming into the year that our goal was gold,” Yurconic said. “As I said, it was gold or bust coming into the tournament.”

Both players had remarkable seasons on the singles circuit in both the Colonial League and District 11 tournaments. But when neither player won the Class 2A singles crown, it opened the door for them to compete in the district doubles tournament and advance to the state tournament for the second straight year.

The rest would go down as the best season ever for any tennis players from Salisbury. The duo won the PIAA Class 2A championship on Saturday with a dominant 6-1, 6-3 victory over District 2’s tandem of Peter Kazmierczak and Tony Kutz of Scranton Prep.

“Last year was a new experience, and coming back it was like the same routine,” said Groff, who earned bronze with Yurconic last year. “There was definitely pressure this year because we came in third last year and we definitely wanted to do better.”

The two certainly improved from a year ago. The Falcons were barely tested in the first set, and besides Scranton Prep breaking one of Groff’s serves in the second set, it seemed that only a colossal breakdown would keep them from gold.

“Sometimes you just get in a groove like that first set when it was 6-1,” Yurconic said. “Mason and I were playing out of our minds and it was over in a heartbeat. It was over and we were like, ‘Wow, we’re a set away from the state title.’”

Scranton Prep took the first game of the second set, but Salisbury responded to break two serves and take a commanding 5-1 lead. Scranton Prep won the next two games, but it was only a matter of how quick Salisbury would close it out with Yurconic serving with a 5-3 lead.

“I was serving and I was very confident in my serve that we weren’t going to lose that,” Yurconic said. “It was a tight game, but tennis can be a game of inches.”

Their run in the state playoffs, one that included four victories all in straight sets, was the best tennis the two have ever played together, according to Yurconic.

“For the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals, we were just clicking,” Yurconic said. “We were playing really as one. We weren’t two separate guys. We’re comfortable with each other on the court.”

Being cousins certainly helps their chemistry on the court. But being on that same stage a year ago also played a huge role in their historic run this season.

“If we wouldn’t have done that last year, I don’t know how prepared we would have been this year,” Yurconic said. “But that was our whole goal as soon as we got that third place last year. It was great to end on a win, but we knew we wanted gold because we came so close to gold last year.”

Head coach Rob Benson was also confident in their ability to not only return to states, but make another deep run in the tournament. He couldn’t have anticipated the dominant showing they would go on to put on, however.

“Our goal was, ‘OK, we’ve been here once, now let’s get back and see what we can really do,’” Benson said. “Last year we played the same two-back style, but it was more passive. This year it was attack, attack, attack.”

Groff and Yurconic defeated Punxsutawney’s Matt Blose and Adam Milliron in the first round, downed Sewickley Academy’s Neil Rana and Brian Rosario in the quarterfinals, and breezed by Lewisburg’s Tim Sprunt and Tyler Spinello in the semifinals.

“It’s something we’ll remember for the rest of our lives,” Groff said. “I feel honored to be able to do this with my cousin, and have all of my family and friends here. It’s a great feeling.”