Middle back in sectional title match for seventh time in 10 seasons

Posted: May 28th 2026

The Middle Township High School boys tennis team will play for a South Jersey championship next week against Haddonfield after beating Delsea in a sectional semifinal match.

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

The Middle Township High School boys tennis team’s magical season continues.

The Panthers checked into the South Jersey Group II title match with a 4-1 win over Delsea in a semifinal match Thursday afternoon. The victory puts Middle in the sectional championship match for the seventh time in 10 seasons.

The Panthers, seeded second in the section, will face one of the best programs in the state in top-seeded Haddonfield in the title match, scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.

Middle was never threatened against No. 3 seed Delsea. Miles Stafford and Darp Patel breezed to straight-set wins at second and third singles, respectively, while the doubles teams of Dante Duca and Kenny Martin (first) and M.J. Murnaghan and Michael Zuzulock (second) dropped only four games combined and also won in straight sets.

Middle first singles player Michael Ratchford nearly made a clean sweep but he dropped a super tiebreaker set by 10-8 after splitting the first two sets in his match.

Middle will be bidding for its fourth sectional championship in 11 seasons on Tuesday. Middle won South Jersey titles as a Group I program in 2016, 2018 and 2019.

Middle (24-1) also won the Cape-Atlantic American Conference championship this spring.