The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) boys varsity tennis team dominated the Bourne High School Canalmen on a perfect, sunny day, and won 5-0 to progress to the Division 3 South semifinal Thursday, June 8 at Dover-Sherborn High School against the top-seeded Raiders (18-0).
The Vineyarders (14-2) entered the tournament seeded fourth, while Bourne, the fifth seed, ended the season with a 16-4 record.
The matches went quickly, and all of the scores reflected Vineyard strength.
“It’s very good; we’re in the semifinals tomorrow, so that will be a tough match playing the top seed,” Coach Bill Rigali told The Times after his team’s win.
At first singles, Zak Danz defeated Jordan Baracchini, 6-0, 6-3, while second singles Nainoa Cooperrider defeated Matt Caron, 6-0, 6-0, and third singles Chris Ferry beat Jack Perry, 6-0, 6-1.
“The kid wasn’t bad; I was just hitting a lot of first serves,” Nainoa said. “We had a couple of good games, but I was just playing solid.”
The Vineyarders were equally overpowering on both doubles courts. The first doubles team of freshman Owen Favreau and senior Axel Cooperrider defeated Sam Johnston and Phil Malouin, 6-1, 6-2.
“We pretty much didn’t lose a whole lot of points,” Axel said. “Owen and I were just getting our serves in, and making them make the mistakes.”
At second doubles, James Kelliher and freshman Spencer Pogue, brother to fellow triplets on the girls tennis team Molly and Paige Pogue, defeated David Laine and George Carpenter, 6-0, 6-0.
“It was good; we felt pretty comfortable on the court,” Spencer said. “It’s nice that now it’s the end of the season, [James and I are] getting used to playing doubles together.”
If the Vineyard boys win Thursday, they will face either Old Rochester or Maimonides High School in the Division 3 South final, with the time and place to be determined. Old Rochester entered the tournament seeded second, with a 18-1 record. Maimonides (8-2), the sixth seed, lost to the Vineyarders, 5-0, in the regular-season finale on May 29 in Oak Bluffs.
