PENN TWP — It’s one thing to grow up in a tennis family. It’s another to grow up next door to four quality courts.

“We can get here in two minutes,” 12-year-old Tripp Santora said of Butler Country Club.

“When we were growing up, we were over here playing tennis every say,” his sister, Ava. 17, said.

The Santora family is synonymous with the West Penn Inter-Club Mixed Doubles Junior Team Championship, the 27th annual event taking place Thursday at the BCC courts. Each team consists of a pair of mixed doubles competitors, one each in the 18-under (varsity) and 12-under (junior varsity divisions).

Points are registered each time a mixed doubles team in either division wins a match. The eight participating teams Thursday — Butler Country Club, Butler Junior Tennis Association, Allegheny, Edgeworth, Mt. Lebanon, Peters Township, Sewickley and Wildwood — played a round-robin format.

“Those kids were out there for four solid hours and loved every minute of it,” BCC youth tennis director Whitney Snyder said.

And, of course, the Santora family played a major role in the event.

Tripp played for the BCC junior varsity with Sophia Brussalie. It marked his third West Penn Junior event and he was part of the winning junior varsity doubles team last year.

Jake Santora, 19, has played in the event three times. He was on hand Thursday conducting interviews for a tape-delayed local TV production of the gathering. Ava has played in the event twuice and did the filming for her older brother.

“My dad has been playing tennis his whole life and my mom plays here,” Jake said. “We’ve always been around it.”

BCC holds an in-house qualifier each year, with the four winners getting to represent the host club in the tournament.

“I loved playing in this tournament,” Jake said “Getting together with other clubs and meeting new people who enjoy tennis like we do was so much fun.”

Ava agreed.

"We were so blessed being able to play tennis here,“ she said. ”Music was always playing and we learned the importance of forming relationships, along with learning how to play the game. Whit instilled our passion in the game while keeping it fun.

“I’ve always used tennis as a stress reliever.”

The eldest of the four Santora siblings, Elle, was No. 1 singles player at Knoch before transferring to Shady Side Academy, where she closed a brilliant high school career. She went on to play club tennis at Furman University.

Jake is now playing club tennis at Penn State. Ava still plays the sport in the summer, but competes in cross country and track field at Knoch. She will be a senior this fall.

And Tripp? He may become the best tennis player in the family yet.

“Our whole family plays together at times here,” Tripp said. “I know I’ve benefitted from learning from my older brother and sisters. They’ve taught me a lot.”

“I know Tripper is much better than I was when I was 12,” Ava said.

“He really smokes his backhand,” Jake said. “When we play against him, he gives us a run for our money.”

Tripp plays basketball, lacrosse and golf along with tennis. While the Santora siblings enjoy other sports, tennis serves as their common denominator.

“Tennis is something we do together,” Ava said. “I doubt that will ever change.”

Mt. Lebanon won the West Penn Inter-Club tourney via tiebreaker Thursday. Edgeworth and Mt. Lebanon tied for first with 13 points, but the latter won more games and points to claim the tiebreaker. Butler Junior Tennis Association player Carly Deboer subbed in for Edgeworth on the day when it was a player short. She received the girls sportsmanship award.

Carter Hawes of Sewickley won the boys sportsmanship award. Tre Kinmonth of Wildwood won the boys extra effort award, Brigitte Thimons of Allegheny the girls extra effort honor.

Allegheny won the junior varsity title in a tiebreaker as four teams finished 5-2. Mt.Lebabon won the varsity title in a tiebreaker as three teams went 5-2.

“There was some great competition out here today,” Snyder said.

West Penn Inter-Club Mixed Doubles Junior Tennis Championship

Butler Country Club

Final Standings

Mt. Lebanon 13 points, won by tiebreaker (Varsity-Noah Klaber/Autumn Vogel; JV-Ivan Voinov/Sara Telang)

Edgeworth 13 points (Varsity-Will Watson/Jane Lenhard; JV-J.P. Kenney/Haley Guyaux)

Sewickley 11 points (Varsity-Jason Clark/Kaitlyn Zeman; JV-Carter Hawes/Abby Johnson)

Wildwood 11 points (Varsity-Jaxson Mayer/Alexandra Taylor; JV-Tre Kinmonth/Clara Drahnak)

Allegheny 10 points (Varsity-Will Meacher/Brigitte Thimons; JV-Will Bayersmith/Grace Jadloweic)

Butler Junior Tennis 6 points (Varsity-Andrew Bocci/Lainey Spohn; JV-Kam Warheit/Lindsay Lipp)

Peters Township 4 points (Varsity-Dylan Johns/Neve Zvzek; JV-Anthony Pavlik/Alexis Ward)

Butler Country Club 4 points (Varsity-Cal Greenblatt/Brooke Franklin; JV-Tripp Santora/Sophia Brussalis)