The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) girls tennis team defeated Hopedale High School 5-0 Wednesday at the Saint John’s High School courts in Shrewsbury to claim the MIAA Division 3 state championship for the second consecutive year.
Hopedale (Division 3 central) came into Wednesday’s final with a 16-4 record. The Vineyard arrived at the Wednesday state final with a 20-0 record, including playoff wins.
“Unbelievable, two in a row,” said MVRHS athletic director Mark McCarthy, who was on hand for the finals. “And Scott [Smith] is going to make sure we get more, too,” Mr. McCarthy said lightheartedly.
“This is what high school sports is all about,” Bill Gibbons, director of the MIAA tournament, said during the award ceremony. “You play hard, but you play to win, and you play with class and good sportsmanship — and that’s a lesson to take with you the rest of your life. I congratulate both teams.”
“I’m thrilled,” second-year Coach Nina Bramhall told The Times after claiming the state championship, wearing her lucky turquoise pants. “I’m really happy for the girls, and I’m always happy for everybody, but I’m kind of mostly happy for the seniors, because it’s such a great way to end your high school career. As the captains [Nuun Eksiri and Amadine Muniz], and it’s their first year participating and playing a state championship and winning it, so you can’t ask for a better ending to high school.”
Hopedale Blue Raiders girls tennis is strong, and was seeded third in the Division 3 central division during playoff season. The Vineyarders were seeded one in the Division 3 south division. Wednesday’s matchup proved to be a rematch of the 2015 state final, where the Vineyard prevailed, beating Hopedale 4-1.
“I told my wife only 20 more years,” Mr. Gibbons, director of the MIAA tournament for 53 years, told The Times before match play, laughing. “It’s been a great tournament, terrific. The sportsmanship has been great; no problems.”
The Hopedale team has no juniors or seniors — they run on youth, and start their lineup with five sophomores, one freshman, and an eighth grader.
The dominating Vineyard duo Lizzie Williamson and Victoria Scott did what they do best and once again swept up their court efficiently and quickly, walking away with a perfect 6-0, 6-0 score.
“It was pretty much about patience and concentration today, and trying to stay focused, especially with all the people around, and the heat — it was challenging to keep our eyes on the prize, but I think we got the job done,” Victoria Scott told The Times after her big win.
“We were focusing on placement, and focusing on what we’re going to try and do this weekend,” Lizzie told The Times. “It seemed to work out well.”
This weekend Lizzie and Victoria play in the MIAA Individual Tournament for the best doubles team in the state, at first in the semis and then possibly the finals — both to be played this Saturday in Shrewsbury.
“Got that one in the bank,” said Chris Scott, Victoria Scott’s father.
“Superiority,” said Vineyard Youth Tennis (VYT) executive director Scott Smith after Lizzie and Victoria’s match.
Camilla Prata was next off the courts. She kept her perfect first season on the MVRHS team intact, and pulled off a 6-1, 6-0 win.
“The match was good, she was a good player,” Camilla told The Times after her match. “All the time I tried to put it away, and she just returned the ball — she was really good at returning the balls. Also I had an advantage because I had a really good serve, and she had a hard time hitting it back.”
The win at first singles by Kat Roberts clinched the Division 3 state championship for the Vineyarders, as they then had taken three of five courts — a technical victory. Kat beat her opponent Aimee Figgins, a freshman, 6-1, 6-1.
“It was good,” Kat Roberts told The Times after sealing the championship for her team. “She got a lot back, so I just had to mix it up and be aggressive, and put away the point.”
Seniors Amadine Muniz and Nuun Eksiri rejoiced after their second doubles win, 6-1, 6-1.
“It was a great match,” Amadine told The Times. “It wasn’t one of the toughest ones we’ve played, so it was nice there wasn’t that much pressure.”
Last off was Kelly Klaren at second singles, who was the only Vineyarder to lose a second game in match play Wednesday. At one point in Kelly’s second set, her opponent was close and Kelly had a slight lead at 3-2, but she won the next three games and got the win, 6-0, 6-2.
“It was a good match,” Kelly told The Times after her win. “There was a little confusion in the second set, and I made a few errors, but overall she’s a good player; I think I just pulled it through.”
Next year the Vineyarders will have many returning players, and they also have several strong eighth graders moving up to MVRHS in September.
“Hopedale just couldn’t keep up,” said one bystander.