The boys tennis team breezed past the competition in the first round of the state playoffs with a decisive win Tuesday over the Blue Devils of Northampton.
The fifth-seeded Vineyarders beat the 28th-ranked Blue Devils 5-0, only losing a single set in the contest. The first-round win comes amidst high expectations for the Vineyarders, who finished with a regular-season record of 15-2.
“We’ve been gearing up for the state tournament all year, it feels good to get a win here,” head coach Jonathan Bates said after the win.
Still, he cautioned fans not to get overconfident. The team’s next opponent is East Longmeadow, who finished the season with a record of 13-2, including two wins against Northampton.
Notably, four of the seven Vineyard players Tuesday were freshmen. Coach Bates pointed out how important it is long-term for the newest members of the team to get playoff experience.
“It bodes well for the future,” Coach Bates said.
Clyde Smith at second singles works a slice backhand.
— Mark Alan Lovewell
At first singles junior Jacob Riis defeated Aidan Metz 6-0, 6-1; at second singles junior Clyde Smith defeated Reily Fowles 6-2, 3-6, 10-5; at third singles freshman Zak Potter defeated Ethan Metz 6-0, 6-2.
“[Winning today] gives a lot of confidence moving forward,” Potter said after his match. “We have a lot of people rooting for us but going to the sweet sixteen, we’re just happy to survive and move on.”
The first and second doubles teams completed the sweep, not losing a single game. Junior Teagen Myers and freshman Caleb Dubin beat Max Cahillane and Durrel Patrick 6-0 and 6-0, while freshman duo Volkert Kleeman and Kyle Levy defeated Maitreya Abend and Len Armstrong 6-0, 6-0.
Myers was full of optimism for the rest of the tournament.
“I’m just excited to see how far this team can go,” he said.
The Vineyarder’s next match is scheduled for Thursday, weather permitting.
