Already his program’s first Division I state singles champion in boys tennis, Gahanna Lincoln senior Brandon Carpico came up with a set of challenging goals for his final prep season. 

Pickerington North senior Pavan Uppu could be in line to join the record books at his school as well if things go as he hopes over the next two-plus weeks. 

The postseason has arrived, with Division I sectional competition taking place at Hilliard Bradley, Hilliard Davidson, Pickerington Central and Upper Arlington and the Division II sectionals set for Columbus Academy and Columbus School for Girls. The qualifying rounds were slated for May 10, with the semifinal and final rounds set for May 13. 

Carpico, who is two-time defending district singles champion, won state as a sophomore and was state runner-up a year ago. 

After losing two singles and one doubles match as a sophomore, Carpico was undefeated until he fell 6-3, 6-2 to Mason’s Vignesh Gogineni in last year’s state final.

While Gogineni is now competing for Yale, Carpico has followed his 36-1 record last spring by winning his first 18 matches of this season and needs 10 more wins to become the program’s all-time leader in career victories.

Canyon Teague, a 2013 Gahanna graduate, finished fourth in state singles as a senior and went 96-14 for his prep career. 

“Coming into the year, my coach (Chris Schwinnen) and I came to the conclusion that if I was to play in every match and do as well as I have the past two years that I’d break my school’s all-time record in only three years after losing my freshman year (to the COVID-19 pandemic),” Carpico said. “My goal has been to have a perfect season, win states and break that record.  

“I feel great. I’ve been working on some stuff in the offseason and It’s all starting to click. My confidence is high and I’m trying to keep it going.” 

Carpico, who has signed with Ohio State, spent his offseason traveling to tournaments in California, Florida and other states. 

He’s the No. 1 seed for the sectional at Upper Arlington, with Marysville sophomore Gianni Russo, Dublin Jerome senior Rohan Athavale and Olentangy Orange junior Zach Haar rounding out the top four seeds in singles. 

Senior Kallan Arlege and freshman Nikhil Bhimireddy from Orange are the top seed in doubles at the site. Arledge and 2022 graduate Parth Patel finished third at state in doubles last season. 

The top four in singles and doubles at each site advance to district May 17 and 20 at UA. The top four in singles and doubles then move on to state, which is set for May 25-26 at Ohio State after being held at Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason since 2016. 

If Carpico wins state, he’d become just the seventh player in central Ohio history to win two state singles championships. 

The last to do so from central Ohio was Watterson’s Chris Diaz, who accomplished that feat in Division II in 2010 and ’11. 

“Physically I’m just hitting the tennis ball better,” Carpico said. “I play the same way, but everything’s gotten a little better. I hit the ball a little harder, a little more consistently, but the biggest changes are to my mental game which has gotten a lot better.”