The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School boys and girls tennis teams are both moving on to the final four in the MIAA state tournament after big wins last week.
The boys defeated the Medway High School Mustangs and the girls beat out the Newburyport High School Clippers immediately after, both in commanding wins on the high school’s Fennessy Courts Thursday afternoon.
The boys, for the third straight time in the playoffs this season, swept the competition; the girls dominated as well, winning 4 – 1.
The two teams played off Island yesterday, after our print deadline.
“That was some of the best tennis I’ve seen them play all year,” said the head coach of the boys team, Nicole Macy, after the match. “They came out here and they wanted every point, and it showed.”
“The nerves were definitely there in the beginning, and it took us a little time to shake some of them out, but I am so impressed with how they came out to play today,” she added.
Senior captain and league MVP Zak Potter, as he has done all year, dominated in the first singles match, beating Tommy Vallante, 6-1, 6-0.
“Zak Potter was a huge standout … For him to come out and do what he was able to do was pretty amazing,” said Macy.
Caleb Dubin was next on the Vineyard team. He secured a win, defeating the Mustangs’ Vic Chaupoir, 6-2, 6-2.
On the doubles court, first doubles Tommy Flynn and Kyle Levy won their battle against the Mustangs Alex Menard and Tommy Stots, 6-4, 6-4, The doubles match officially secured the best-of-five win for the Vineyarders. But they kept piling it on as Nate Walsh and Henry Wansiewicz secured a commanding victory over Colin Grimes and Jackson Ettenhofer, 6-2, 6-2.
“Tommy Flynn stepped up in doubles too; he was probably the most aggressive I’ve ever seen him at the net today, and his serves were on fire,” said Macy.
In the last set of the day, with victory already well secured, Kert Kleeman battled it out in a 10-point tiebreaker against the Mustangs’ Danny Ramos. Kleeman won set one 6-4, and lost set two 4-6. In the tiebreaker, Kleeman took off, finalizing the sweep with a 10-5 win.
“For Kert to go the distance in this heat and go three sets and still pull it out was amazing,” said Macy.
The Vineyarders hoisted their final four trophy — their fourth final four appearance since Macy took over — just as the girls tennis team were taking the court, trying to punch their ticket to the final four as well.
“We’ve done it three years in a row now, and I’m looking to raise a different kind of trophy in another week,” said Macy after the match.
In the girls match, they defeated the Newburyport Clippers 4-1 on Thursday afternoon to advance to the semifinals as well.
“I think all of the girls raised their game even more than the other day against Boston Latin,” said Assistant Coach Eddie Stahl after the match Thursday. “They all played steady. But what really helped them was the Island community showing up, people cheering, little kids running around. It’s a beautiful scene, and they embrace it.”
Similar to their M.O. all season, first and second doubles took early and clean wins, leaving the singles players some breathing room and needing just one more win to clinch the match and final four.
In first doubles, Leah Thomson and Zoe Treitman took a quick win with a final score of 6-1, 6-4.
On second doubles, Ella Moran and Clementine Zeender earned a 6-2, 6-2, victory.
“Both doubles were really solid,” said Stahl. “On first doubles, they are really finding their groove. Leah is just attacking the net and putting a lot of pressure on.”
For the singles, freshman Charlotte Marchard struck first, and her victory sealed the win for Vineyarders, 6-2, 6-3.
First and third singles were last on the court.
Sophomore captain Laina Dubin had another long match for the second night in a row, going into a 10-point tiebreaker after trading wins.
“Laina winning back-to-back matches that are both so tough and down-to-the-wire. Her tiebreaker yesterday and coming back from behind today, I think that is a real achievement that will help boost her confidence going into final four,” said Coach Stahl.
Dubin secured the first set, 6-3, dropped the next set 5-7, and battled through the long third set to finish the match in a nail-biter, 12-10.
Last on the courts was Tessa Schulz, who was substituting on third singles for Ellie Pennington. Schulz battled through two gritty singles matches with a lot of back-and-forth, but ultimately fell to the Clipper 5-7, then 2-6.
“The girls come out every day and have fun. They show very little nerves, and the community helps relieve that pressure. It’s really cool… they were great today,” said Stahl.
The girls hoisted their MIAA Final Four trophy at center court and celebrated the win.
Yesterday, the girls took on the St. John Paul II High School Lions, and the boys were scheduled to play the Weston High School Wildcats.
