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[Sonny Dearth]

Boys tennis
State Group AAA team final
(at Huntington Park)
ROBINSON 5, MILLS GODWIN 4
Singles — Courtney (R) d. Parker 6-1, 6-3; Castellow (R) d. McMillen 6-3, 6-1; Gallagher (R) d. Vitkovski 6-1, 6-2; Hardy (R) d. Calhoun 7-6 (7-3), 6-2; Wood (MG) d. Nason 6-2, 6-3; Baxter (MG) d. Coster 7-5, 6-4.
Doubles — Parker-Calhoun d. Courtney-Hardy 6-3, 6-2; McMillen-Vitkovski d. Gallagher-Nason 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3; Castellow-Coster d. Wood-Baxter 6-1, 5-7, 6-4.

In one of the most memorable matches in state Group AAA boys tennis history, Robinson thwarted numerous Mills Godwin comebacks and won 5-4 in a 5 1/2-hour match at Huntington Park, giving the Rams their third consecutive championship.
Kevin Castellow, who grew up in Chesapeake and says his parents still live there, teamed with Sam Coster to outlast Nathan Wood and Michael Baxter 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 at No. 3 doubles to break a 4-4 tie.
Robinson won the top four singles matches and led 4-2, but the Eagles began to rally by handing Drew Courtney a rare loss in doubles. Courtney, who now has eight VHSL championships -- three in doubles, three in team play and two in singles -- and Stephen Hardy lost 6-3, 6-2 to Kyle Parker and Kevin Calhoun at the No. 1 spot. Courtney and Hardy are the defending state doubles champs.
That left the match up to Nos. 2 and 3 doubles. Robinson led in both, including 6-2, 5-2 at No. 3.
But at No. 2, the Eagles' Kevin McMillen and Edgar Vitkovski saved match points in the second set and won it 7-6 (7-2) to pull even with Billy Nason and Doug Gallagher.
At No. 3, Wood and Baxter saved match points and won the last five games to force a third set in their match.
McMillan and Vitkovski kept the momentum going, winning their third set 6-3. That tied the team score at 4, but Robinson led 3-1 in the third set at No. 3 doubles.
Robinson won two straight games to go ahead 5-2, but Godwin came back to 5-4 before Castellow served out the match.