Liberty High School’s boys’ tennis coach Leo Schnalzer described the Hurricanes’ clinching the District XI Class AAA championship like this: “I sort of knew the bus was coming. I waited on the corner, they opened the door, and I got on,” after Liberty defeated Nazareth 3-2 last Thursday at Lehigh University.

“It feels great for me, but I look at it more as the kids have experienced it and will be able to talk about it for the rest of their lives,” Schnalzer said.

All smiles and gold medaled, the Hurricanes hoisted the district trophy above their heads after Louis Gruber won at two singles 6-0, 6-2, Jacob Berg won at three singles 6-0, 6-3, and Luke Conrad and David Lynn won at two doubles 6-2, 6-0.

Having been challenged by Nazareth’s Matt Soika and Dominic Ferraro in the regular season, Conrad and Lynn did a lot of preparation a week before districts during the East Penn Conference Tournament.

“We went through almost every scenario,” said Conrad, who, along with Lynn, set up a game plan called laws, in which every action on Nazareth’s part had a specific reaction from the Hurricanes. “We really gelled in key moments. It feels like a load off.”

Their preparation also kept nerves at bay.

“I wasn’t too nervous,” said Lynn. “After we beat them two times before, we knew they could change something, but they didn’t.”

Berg won his match against Nate Tauber.

“I’m really excited. It’s a great, great group of guys, and I’m proud of our team,” Berg said. “In the second set, when I went up 5-1, he got way more into it. It’s just like every match. I learn to deal with it.”

Gruber was the third Hurricane to win his match, assuring the victory over the Blue Eagles.

“It feels great, the team, the whole season,” said Gruber. “He was playing really well today and became more solid in the second set. I just had to grind them out no matter how.”

Liberty’s three doubles team of Duke Jin and Gavin Snyder was the last to finish against Nick Mitchell and Brian Smith, a Hurricane loss after three sets 4-6, 7-6, 3-7.

“We practiced a lot,” said Jin. “We tried our best.”

Jin and Snyder were undefeated in the regular season.

“They had a new person there, and one was the same. It was a different match,” Snyder said. “I felt really tired, but we played hard.”

Liberty’s Dan Lynn also lost at one singles to Ben Tauber 1-6, 0-6.

“It almost felt like a regular match where we could support our other teams,” said Lynn. “It’s been a really good run with a lot more ups than downs.”

The Hurricanes will advance to the PIAA State tournament which is scheduled to begin May 16.