The story of the 2026 boys tennis season belonged to Matanzas.
The Pirates entered the postseason 15-0 after beating several heavy hitters, such as Ponte Vedra, Bolles and Gainesville. They went on to become regional champions to earn a spot in the FHSAA Class 3A team bracket.
Matanzas improved to 18-0 and advanced to the Final Four with a 4-3 triumph over top overall seed Innovation. The Pirates eventually lost to Wiregrass Ranch in the state semis, but it tied the farthest Matanzas had ever made it in the playoffs in program history.
The Pirates’ No. 1 singles player, Daniel Patsula, also finished as the individual runner-up.
But there was plenty of talent from around the Volusia-Flagler area, so let’s meet the 2026 All-Area boys tennis team.
First Team
Brayden Erlandson, University: Erlandson went 11-4 as University’s No. 1 singles player, and he was half of the Titans’ No. 1 doubles pair that went 12-2.
Jeffrey Martin, Seabreeze: Martin won a singles district title to stamp his ticket to the FHSAA tournament in the No. 1 singles bracket. He also was a part of the Sandcrabs’ No. 1 doubles pair that won a district crown.
Raimey Miral, Spruce Creek: Miral was the Five Star Conference champion at No. 1 singles. He posted an 11-4 record as the Hawks’ top singles player and added an 11-5 No. 1 doubles mark on their way to the state tournament.
Daniel Patsula, Matanzas: Patsula went 15-1 as Matanzas’ No. 1 singles player and advanced to the FHSAA Class 3A individual singles final, where he finished as the runner-up. He helped lead the Pirates to an appearance in the team state semifinals and was 11-2 in No. 1 doubles matches as well.
Adam Stochel Polubiec, Matanzas: Stochel Polubiec finished the 2026 season with a 12-2 record. He was the Pirates’ primary No. 2 singles player, boasting a 7-2 record at that slot, and he was 15-1 in doubles matches.
Stanislav Valenteychik, Matanzas: Valenteychik was 14-0 in singles matches as a senior. The majority took place at No. 3 singles, where he went 8-0, but he also went 3-0 at both No. 1 and No. 2 singles. Valenteychik delivered the clinching victory in the Pirates’ upset over No. 1 Innovation in the state quarterfinals at No. 3 singles. Valenteychik’s doubles record was 13-1 — 8-1 at No. 2 doubles and 5-0 at No. 1.
Second Team
Owen Brady, Matanzas: Brady went 10-3 in singles matches, including a 5-2 record at his usual position of No. 4 singles. He went 12-3 in doubles matches with eight of those wins occurring at Line 1 alongside Patsula. His performance at No. 1 doubles in the FHSAA bracket helped Matanzas reach the state semifinals.
Nicolas Herrera, University: Herrera was the No. 2 singles Five Star champion, and the only winner that wasn’t a part of Spruce Creek or Seabreeze. Herrera finished the season 12-3 with an 11-3 record at No. 2 singles. He earned a 12-2 record in No. 1 doubles alongside Erlandson.
Alexander Engblom, Matanzas: Engblom went 10-4 this season, including a 6-3 record at No. 5 singles. He went 2-0 when he played at No. 2 singles and 2-1 at No. 4 singles.
Tej Patel, Seabreeze: Patel was a Five Star Conference champion in No. 3 singles, where he was highly-productive for the Sandcrabs. Patel finished the season 8-2 in the third spot and picked up an additional win in his lone match at No. 1 singles. He finished the year 9-2 in doubles matches.
Hunter Shuler, Seabreeze: Shuler accompanied Martin as a No. 1 doubles district champion for Seabreeze, earning them an invitation to states. Shuler finished the season 7-3 at No. 2 singles as well.
Indigo Stout, Spruce Creek: Stout was a Five Star champion at No. 1 doubles alongside Miral. Stout was most productive in doubles matches, where he went 11-6 at the No. 1 spot this season. He also had a 4-1 record in No. 3 singles matches.
Honorable Mention
DeLand: Harrison Bitler, Blake Griffin, Oliver Hall, Stephen Lin, Weston Millett
Father Lopez: Eddy Azpiri, Tristen Lohman, Abraham Rosa
Matanzas: Tyler Lemmon
New Smyrna Beach: Luke Hinkle, Fernando Miranda
Pine Ridge: Giovanni Matos, Gustavo Souza Lima
Seabreeze: Jordan Anthony, Ben Upchurch
Spruce Creek: Aiden Cappiello, Aarav Desai, Brayden Kim
University: Jackson Partlow, Logan Tanner
Boys Tennis Coach of the Year
Jens Oliva, Matanzas: Oliva led the Pirates to one of the most successful seasons in Matanzas tennis history. The Pirates finished the regular season with a perfect 15-0 record, and his entire top five had winning records at their respective positions. Despite being unseeded, Matanzas upset top-ranked Innovation at the FHSAA Class 3A championships, earning a trip to the state semifinals. The Pirates were one game short of advancing to their first-ever state championship, but an 18-1 overall record and a Final Four appearance puts them in the upper tiers of Volusia-Flagler area teams, regardless of sport.
Boys Tennis Player of the Year
Daniel Patsula, Matanzas: Patsula is only a sophomore, but he’s already earned an accolade after a successful 2026 campaign. He manned Matanzas’ No. 1 singles spot all season and won his first 12 matches, helping to lead the Pirates to their appearance in the Class 3A Final Four. Patsula’s only loss was in the individual state championship, but that meant he’d already secured his name as one of the premier tennis players in Florida. His doubles record was also impressive, finishing 11-2 at the No. 1 spot. Patsula won his first nine doubles matches, not dropping any until April 14 at the district tournament, more than two months into the season.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Unveiling the 2026 Volusia-Flagler All-Area boys tennis team
Reporting by Zach Allen, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
