The undefeated: James Vuille-Kowing has yet to lose a singles or doubles match this season, and the Mainland girls come from behind to beat Seabreeze

Last season, James Vuille-Kowing played at the No. 2 position — as a freshman — on one of the Sandcrabs’ best teams in the last 20 years. This year the sophomore is leading at the top player and has yet to drop a match.

With the regular season finished and the Five-Star Conference Tournament decided, Vuille-Kowing takes a perfect 12-0 singles and 12-0 doubles (with No. 2 player Collin West, who’s 11-1) record into the district tournament, which began today and will conclude tomorrow at the Palm Coast Tennis Center.

“James loves to play tennis and he has greatly improved from last year,” said head coach Robert Holtgrewe. “He has solid ground strokes and a strong first serve. James is incorporating a net game as a part of his strategy. He is very dedicated and focused on his tennis game, whether in practice or in a match. My expectations were high because I know his expectations are

"He is very dedicated and focused on his tennis game, whether in practice or in a match."

ROBERT HOLTGREWE, Seabreeze boys tennis coach

high. He has met those expectations, but the hardest test is yet to come, though.”

Vuille-Kowing beat Flagler Palm Coast’s Eric Berenblit 6-2, 6-0 to win the conference championship, and he recently beat Mainland’s Miraj Patel 6-1,6-0.

Double trouble

After Seabreeze picked up three of the five singles wins from Elizabeth Gibbons (8-4 over Kyra Webb), Samantha Harrison (8-3 over Schuyler Anderson) and Abby Okarski (8-2 over Ronesia Williams), Mainland came from behind in doubles play to capture the overall win 8-3. Mainland’s Caitlyn Harris (8-3 over Genevieve Gibbons) and Alexis Holcomb (8-6 over Isa Koreniuk) won their singles matches.

“Anytime you can beat Seabreeze, it’s an awesome win,” coach Mary McCoy said.