Martha’s Vineyard is MIAA Division 3 south boys tennis champion

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Natty Schneider, seen here against Cape Cod Academy earlier this season, and first doubles partner Jackson McBride used a strong service game to topple Dover-Sherborn, in Saturday's sectional final. — File photo by Ralph Stewart

The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School boys tennis team finally has some hardware to go with a perfect 21-0 record.

Coach Ned Fennessy’s team defeated Dover-Sherborn for the third time this season, Saturday, at Old Rochester Regional High School in Mattapoisett to capture the MIAA Division 3 south title for the first time.

The Vineyarders won a hard-fought match, 3-2, to advance to the state semi-finals on Monday at 4 pm in Lexington, to play last year’s state champions, the Weston Wildcats (16-6).

Dover-Sherborn gave M.V. a battle in the sectional final. The Raiders won at second doubles over Justin Smith and Ryan Sawyer and at second singles as Christian Baker outlasted Patrick McCarthy 4-6, 6-4, 11-9.

The Vineyarders took the other three matches to win the sectional trophy. Kent Leonard defeated Harry Stone 6-2, 6-1 at first singles, Justice Yennie chalked up his 41st straight win with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Russ Daly at third singles, and the first doubles duo of Natty Schneider and Jackson McBride served their way to a 6-3, 6-4 win over Stefano Barbier and Alex Qian-Wang.