History was made on the courts of Sanlando Park in Sanford, and it was an all-Boca affair that had tennis fans on the edge of their seats. In the Class 4A state finals, West Boca Raton's Braden Amey squared off against Boca Raton High's Enzo Carvalho in a match that would crown the first boys state singles champion for either school.
When the rackets stopped swinging, it was West Boca's junior first singles star, Braden Amey, who emerged victorious with a commanding 7-5, 6-3 win on April 30. The top seed capped off an unbeaten season by becoming West Boca's first-ever boys state singles champion—and he did it against a longtime rival. Not to be overshadowed, Carvalho also made history as Boca High's first boys state finalist, proving that both programs are on the rise.
"It's pretty cool," Amey said of the milestone. "I expected it coming into the tournament. It was pretty cool playing him. I know his game pretty well and used to play with him years back. I knew it would be a great match. He's playing really well now."
Amey's path to the title required four wins at states, a significant leap from last season when he fell in the regionals as a sophomore. The difference? A serve that has grown into a weapon. Amey unleashed blistering 120 mph missiles against Carvalho in the finals, a testament to his offseason work.
"I've been going for bigger serves and it's improved a lot," Amey explained. "I usually grind it out from the baseline, but I've been trying to come to the net when I can. I've been trying to finish it off much quicker."
The rivalry between these two juniors runs deep. Last season, Amey edged Carvalho in a regular-season 8-game pro-set match that went to 9-8. But as freshmen, it was Carvalho who pulled off a stunning comeback, rallying from a 7-1, 40-15 deficit with double-match point against him to win 9-7. This year's state final was sweet revenge for Amey, especially since their regular-season match was rained out.
"Both these juniors have been battling for supremacy in our county for years and met on the biggest tennis stage at states," said West Boca coach Martha Whitaker.
Strategy played a key role in Amey's victory. He noticed his Boca opponent standing considerably wide when serving to the ad court, looking to kick his serve. By positioning himself to counter that move, Amey turned a potential weakness into an advantage—a lesson in court smarts that every young player can learn from.