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Sports
Bernstine repeats as state champ
By Robby Fletcher Sports Editor
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Staring down the opposite end of the court of the VHSL Class 3 Singles Tennis semifinal round held at Virginia Tech, junior Evan Bernstine found himself in the same spot he was in last year when he won a state title in convincing fashion.
While his opponent in the semifinal — Abingdon’s Dillon McReynolds — was the same player Bernstine faced in last year’s championship match and his championship matchup against Monticello’s Luca Bonfigili was his third meetup of the season, things were different this time around.
With Bernstine’s status as reigning champ came a certain level of fight that was brought out of his opponents, both of whom had faced defeat at the hands of the Goochland star before and had no intention of letting him get an easy path to a second consecutive title.
And while both gave Bernstine his toughest tests of the season, the junior proved once again that he was capable of withstanding any challenge thrown his way, leading to a hard-earned state title and a second undefeated season.
In his rematch with McReynolds in the semifinals, who Bernstine beat 6-0, 6-1 last year, Bernstine settled in quickly in the first set to win the first four games thanks in large part to a blistering serve that set the tone early in the match.
Photo by Robby Fletcher
Junior tennis player Evan Bernstine does a fist pump after winning a game during the VHSL Class 3 State Singles Tennis Championship against Luca Bonfigili at Virginia Tech on June 11.
McReynolds had a nice response to win two straight games to make it a 4-2 set, but Bernstine responded well to close it out with a 6-2 advantage heading into the second set.
In a surprise flip of momentum, McReynolds started to pick things up almost immediately in the second set, starting things off with a 2-1 set lead as McReynolds and his large group of fans started to become more vocal as his lead grew.
“This one was definitely different, especially (against McReynolds), he’s got a huge fan base that’s super loud after every point,” Bernstine said. “I try to zone it out, sometimes it gets to me, but you just have to put the energy into the court.” Bernstine did exactly that in the fourth game, as he tied the set up 2-2 as he served two aces and scored three unanswered points to amp himself up for the final stretch of games. After the two took a win each in the next two games, the two battled in an exciting seventh game that McReynolds again came out on top to take a 4-3 lead and truly look like a threat to force a third set. That would be the last of McReynolds’ momentum swing though, as Bernstine never lost another game. In the eighth game, Bernstine went down two points before scoring the next four with an ace and a beautiful backhand volley to the middle of the court. Then in the ninth game, he came back again from a 3-2 deficit to win for a 5-4 set lead, before ending the game outright by taking every point in the tenth match of the set for a thrilling 6-2, 6-4 win. While McReynolds had a second gear in the latter stages of their match, Bonfigili came out of the game strong to test Bernstine in the final, even giving Bernstine a rare opening-match defeat to start the opening set. Much like in the semifinals though, Bernstine’s serve gave his title-contending foe fits all game, with Bernstine also beating Bonfigili on multiple occasions with his drop shot when the Monticello player played deep past the baseline to contend with Bernstine’s accurate forehand shots. After Bernstine took a 4-2 lead, Bonfigili began becoming more vocal and aggressive with every point scored in an attempt to motivate himself and get Bernstine in his head. After Bonfigili won the seventh game and scored the opening point of the eighth game, he yelled out “come on” loud enough for players in opposite courts to hear, to which Bernstine replied with a quiet head nod back to the baseline and a deadly forehand shot for a point to respond with his own celebratory roar.
“I get into it when people think they’re starting to get momentum, I like to shut it down quick and play hard on those points because I really want them bad,” Bernstine said.
Bernstine won that eighth game and later the tenth game to take the first set 6-4, withstanding an aggressive Bonfigili, who gave Bernstine everything he had.
In the second set, Bernstine looked to be the more incontrol of the two talented players, winning the first two games with a steady balance of different shot types through multiple long rallies.
Though Bonfigili won two games to keep things interesting at 3-2, it wasn’t long before the picture started to become clearer that Bernstine had more left in the tank to close out the set.
In the seventh game, two Bonfigili double faults played a key role in Bernstine taking a 5-2 lead with a chance to close out the match, and in the following game, Bernstine did just that. Starting out that final match was an impressive tweener shot from Bernstine that Bonfigili attempted to replicate that didn’t cross over the net, and an ace that closed out the match and gave the Goochland star the state title once again.
Though Bernstine was relieved to have finished two competitive matches to win the championship, he says he’s already looking ahead to going after a third one next season.
Photo Gallery: Looking back at Goochland’s spring season
First two photos by Robby Fletcher, third photo by Nick Cooley
From left to right: Goochland’s softball team celebrates a regional playoff win against Warren County on May 26. Freshman lacrosse player Andrew Craddock carries the ball against Mills E. Godwin on April 19. Track runner Megan Reid runs in a relay at Goochland on April 20.
Photos by Robby Fletcher
From left to right: Goochland forward Erla Thorkelsdottir makes a sideline run in a match against Fluvanna County on March 30. Senior baseball player Aidan Allen slides into second on his senior night against Monticello on May 10. Goochland forward Yoshi DaSilva defends an Albemarle player in a match on May 11.
Photos by Robby Fletcher
