{"id":4400,"date":"2026-06-16T22:35:05","date_gmt":"2026-06-16T22:35:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=4400"},"modified":"2026-06-16T22:35:05","modified_gmt":"2026-06-16T22:35:05","slug":"all-area-boys-tennis-trinity-preps-ben-demetriades-is-player-of-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=4400","title":{"rendered":"All-Area Boys Tennis: Trinity Prep\u2019s Ben Demetriades is Player of the Year"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Trinity Prep\u2019s Ben Demetriades helped lead his school\u2019s boys tennis team to six straight district championships, starting as a seventh grader, and played in six consecutive FHSAA state tournaments.<\/p>\n

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The lefthander was the Saints\u2019 No. 1 player from ninth grade on and topped off his high school career with a 17-1 singles record as a senior. And on top of being one of the most accomplished players in Orlando area history \u2014 with a 66-18 career singles record \u2014 he was the 2026 Trinity Prep valedictorian with a weighted 4.66 grade point average.<\/p>\n

It was a heavy load that included individual training sessions and USTA weekend tournaments, along with high school matches and schoolwork. But Demetriades, this year\u2019s Orlando Sentinel Player of the Year, balanced it all and enjoyed the experiences.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m really glad I stuck with playing tennis throughout my high school years,\u201d Demetriades said after a senior season that culminated with the Saints\u2019 run to the Class 1A state semifinal. \u201cA big part of that was my parents and my coaches all thought it was very important for me to represent my school. Being on a high school team makes it more similar to other high school sports. It helped me develop more leadership skills, especially for the guys on our team who are younger. It\u2019s also really fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gary Needelman, who was the Trinity Prep coach when Demetriades joined the team, left that position and became a college assistant at USF, among other endeavors. He now focuses on training players and is Ben\u2019s teaching pro.<\/p>\n

Martin Harach, also an experienced trainer who played college tennis, became the Trinity Prep coach in 2022.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m grateful to have worked with both of them,\u201d Demetriades said. \u201cI\u2019ve learned a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

He is headed to Bowdoin College, a prestigious academic college in Maine that traditionally fields one of the top tennis teams in NCAA Division III, and hopes to continue balancing tennis with education.<\/p>\n

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The Polar Bears reached the D3 quarterfinals this year \u2014 losing to national champ University of Chicago.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to try to make the team and I\u2019m doing a lot of summer training. Trying to get better,\u201d Demetriades said.<\/p>\n

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Sentinel Standouts<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Corbin Grant, Innovation, Soph.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sophomore standout was unbeaten against Orlando area players for region champion Bulls, a second-year program.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Minato Koido, Lake Nona, Sr.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Highly ranked 2026 addition from Japan played No. 1 singles (10-1) and doubles (11-1). He was undefeated in regular season.<\/p>\n

Devak Mandla, Lake Nona, Sr.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Shared team captain duties with Orta and Krutik. Recorded 5-0 singles record and 10-0 doubles record for the season.<\/p>\n

Wil Nguyen, Lake Buena Vista, Soph.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

He was undefeated in the regular season. Only singles loss was a 7-6, 6-2 match in the state tournament against 3A champ Luca Torres.<\/p>\n

Juan Orta, Lake Nona, Sr.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Four-year starter was 6-0 in singles (playing 1 and 2 lines) and 5-0 in doubles. Season was cut short due to illness.<\/p>\n

Teo Salapura, Lake Mary, Fr.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Promising prospect lost 9-7 in match against player of the year Ben Demetriades. Led Rams to 4A state tourney.<\/p>\n

Krutik Vijay, Lake Nona, Sr.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Four-year starter went 10-0 in singles and 12-1 in doubles for powerhouse that lost only once, in team state semifinal match.<\/p>\n

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Aspen Wooten, Lake Nona girls capture elusive FHSAA tennis state title<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n