- May 2, 2024
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Seabreeze tennis coach Trishna Patel and the boys team celebrate after their 4-1 win against Lyman, sending them to the State Championship at Sanlando Park. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze player Ewan Noval serves the ball in his regional final match against Lyman's Ajay Sastri. Photo by Michele Meyers
Sandcrab Finn Rasmussen prepares to return the ball in a volley against Lyman player Joshua Swanson in the regional finals. Photo by Michele Meyers
Finn Rasmussen returns the ball in a volley against Lyman player Joshua Swanson in the regional finals. Photo by Michele Meyers
Finn Rasmussen returns the ball in a volley against Lyman player Joshua Swanson in the regional finals. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze No. 3 player Finn Rasmussen wins his match 6-2, 6-2 against Lyman player Joshua Swanson in the regional finals. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze No. 2 player Hunter Shuler returns the ball to Patrick Vogel during the regional final. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze No. 2 player Hunter Shuler serves the ball to Patrick Vogel during the regional final. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Seabreeze tennis team watches as their teammate Bryce Gornto battles in his No. 4 singles match against Lyman's Om Pande. Photo by Michele Meyers
Sancrab Bryce Gornto shakes Om Pande's hand after winning the No. 4 singles regional finals match 6-0, 6-2. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Seabreeze tennis team cheers as Bryce Gornto wins his No. 4 singles match 6-0, 6-2 against Lyman's Om Pande sending the boys tennis team to the first round of the State Championship. Photo by Michele Meyers
Bryce Gornto hugs his mom Cindy Gornto after winning his match against Om Pande 6-0, 6-2, giving the Seabreeze boys a berth at the first round of the State Championship. Photo by Michele Meyers
Bryce Gornto hugs his teammate Alana Karas after winning his match against Om Pande 6-0, 6-2, sending the Seabreeze boys to the first round of the State Championship. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Lyman High School tennis team congratulates Seabreeze after the Sandcrab boys win the regional finals match 4-1. Photo by Michele Meyers
Go 'Breeze! Seabreeze tennis coaches and players celebrate after the boys win their match 4-1 against Lyman, sending them to the State Championship. Photo by Michele Meyers
Hunter Shuler and Trishna Patel high-five after the Seabreeze boys win their match against Lyman High School 4-1. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze player Ewan Noval serves the ball to Lyman's Ajay Sastri in No. 5 singles regional final match. Photo by Michele Meyers
Sandcrab Bryce Gornto serves to Om Pande during the No. 4 singles regional finals match. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze No. 1 singles player Leo Kwetkus prepares to face Lyman's Brock Masters in the regional finals match. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze No. 1 singles player Leo Kwetkus volleys with Lyman's Brock Masters in the regional finals match. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze No. 1 singles player Leo Kwetkus sprints to return the ball to Lyman's Brock Masters in the regional finals match. Photo by Michele Meyers
No. 2 singles player Huner Shuler serves to Lyman's Patrick Vogel during the regional finals match. Photo by Michele eyers
Seabreeze No. 1 singles player Leo Kwetkus volleys with Lyman's Brock Masters in the regional finals match. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze player Finn Rasmussen returns the ball to Lyman's Joshua Swanson in the No. 3 singles match during the regional finals. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze player Ewan Noval returns the ball to Lyman's Ajay Sastri in No. 5 singles regional final match. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze coach Trishna Patel gives Bryce Gornto advice during his match against Lyman's Om Pande at the regional finals. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze tennis player Bryce Gornto was the last to finish his match at No. 4 singles against Lyman’s Om Pande in the Sandcrabs’ Class 3A regional final on the Embry-Riddle University courts, Thursday, April 20.
The match would determine if the Seabreeze boys go to the first round of the state championship on April 24 at Sanlando Park.
The Sandcrabs won 4-0 to advance to the state quarterfinals where they lost 4-0 to Wiregrass Ranch.
“On the first set, I was getting in the groove,” Gornto said of the regional final match. “I was hitting those backhands more — not giving him any easy shots. I was moving around the court a little more to make him tired and make him move.”
His teammates gathered on the bleachers to cheer him on as he clinched a 6-0, 6-2 win, which guaranteed them a spot in the first round of the 3A state championship. It was the first time since 2016 the team had made a showing at the tournament.
“Once I saw everyone coming over, I’m like, ‘Don’t choke this, don’t choke this,’” he said.
These guys are great. They’re going to remember this forever. They are probably going to be in touch with each other forever. No matter where life takes them, I think they are going to be like, this was my tennis buddy. This was the team that went to states. Achieving something like this just really binds you—like forever. - Trishna Patel, Seabreeze tennis coach
Gornto started playing at 10 years old and took a break at the age of 13. He came back in 2019 to join the Seabreeze team.
“I love playing with these guys,” he said. “These guys are like my brothers. My coach is maybe the best coach I’ve ever had.”
No. 1 player Leo Kwetkus played his 100th match at the regional final, where he lost to Brock Masters 6-0, 6-1. He’s been playing since he was 12 and hopes to continue in college.
“A lot of unforced errors (in the match),” he said.
Coach Trishna Patel believes that the moments that happened during Gornto’s match were a learning experience. She said the weight of it could not be ignored as his teammates watched him try to get them to the state championship.
“The match teeter-tottered a little bit in the second set, and he composed himself,” she said. “It’s not so much that he had a difficult opponent, but he dealt with a difficult situation. This experience, you cannot replicate. This is a special moment for him.”
Going into states, Patel stressed to the players to do what they have been doing and continue their level of play. She reminded them that anything can happen.
“These guys are great,” she said. “They’re going to remember this forever. They are probably going to be in touch with each other forever. No matter where life takes them, I think they are going to be like, ‘This was my tennis buddy. This was the team that went to states.’ Achieving something like this just really binds you — forever.”
