Manheim Township sophomore Jack Barry is the District 3 Triple-A singles champ
HERSHEY – Unforgettable run by Manheim Township sophomore Jack Barry in the District 3 Triple-A boys’ singles tournament.
Two things to keep in mind before I drop the results on you:
First, Barry played No. 2 singles this season for the Blue Streaks, so he didn’t always face a a big thumper in Manheim Township’s regular-season matches.
Second, Barry was un-seeded in the Triple-A bracket, and after finishing third in the L-L League Triple-A Flight One singles tourney, found himself in the same side of the draw as the No. 4 seed and the No. 1 seed – just to get to the finals.
Barry threw all those numbers out the window when the district tournament started last Saturday.
Round 1 vs. No. 4 seed Ben Montoya from Gettysburg – won: 6-0, 6-0.
Round 2 vs. Mack Meyer from South Western – won: 6-0, 6-0.
So he came into Monday’s semifinal match opposite No. 1 seed and defending champ Jody Sambrick from Lampeter-Strasburg feeling pretty good. But Sambrick finally solved Barry, winning the first set 6-4.
After that, it was all Barry, who hopped back on the love train, winning the second set 6-0 and the third set 6-0 to storm into the title match opposite L-L League foe Wes Fortna from Cedar Crest, who beat Barry in three sets in the L-L League semifinals a week ago.
Fortna drew first blood, rolling to a 3-0 lead before Barry caught fire again, winning the next six games in a row for a first-set 6-3 victory. Barry closed out Fortna 6-2 for a straight-set victory – and the District 3 Triple-A gold.
FYI: Barry and Fortna both return next season, so the L-L League and District 3 tournaments could have some rematches.
Up next for Barry in singles competition is the PIAA Tournament, where he’ll try and match the efforts of his big sister, Caroline Barry, a senior at Manheim Township who teammed with Lauren Stauffer to top North Allegheny’s Kylie Isaacs and Mikayla Becich 6-1, 7-6 (6) in the state girls’ Triple-A doubles championship last fall.
Caroline is heading to Princeton in the fall.
Barry, a district doubles champ last season, is part of an athletic family. His sister is a state tennis champ. His parents, John and Martha, are very successful golfers in local circles.
I chatted with Jack about growing up in an athletic family, about winning the district championship and about his game.
Enjoy.
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