THE LHS boys’ tennis team concluded a fantastic season on Saturday at MIT. The Pioneers, playing in their third consecutive Div. 4 State Championship, were edged by Manchester-Essex 3-2 but finished up their season with an incredible record of 19-2. (Courtesy Photo)

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

CAMBRIDGE — The third time was not the charm for the Lynnfield High boys’ tennis team last Saturday afternoon. The Pioneers were in their third-straight MIAA Division 4 State Finals as they fell to Weston the past two seasons.

With Weston moved up to Division 3 this spring, where they won the state title themselves on Saturday against Bedford, Lynnfield took on a familiar opponent, Manchester-Essex, in the D4 title match on a sunny, warm, breezy day at MIT in Cambridge.

Lynnfield ended up getting edged, 3-2, by the Hornets as Manchester-Essex was able to avenge a 5-0 defeat during the regular season.

With the loss, the top-seeded Pioneer ended the season at 19-2. Third-seeded Manchester-Essex, meanwhile, ended the 2024 campaign at 19-4.

“I knew it was going to be a tough match,” said Pioneers head coach Joe Dunn. “That 5-0 match was closer than the final score indicated. They were on fire and I tip my cap to them.”

With the match tied at two, Shea McCarthy fell to Charlie Virden in three sets to clinch the victory for the Hornets. Virden won the first set, 6-2, but McCarthy won the second one, 7-5. Virden won the final one, 6-3, to set off a wild celebration by the Hornets.

“That was a well-played match,” said Dunn, about the second -singles match. “Both players wanted it badly.”

At first singles, Dan Levin defeated Jack Cummins, 6-1, 6-1.

Russ Kasdon lost in three sets to Jan Vytopil; 6-3, 6-7 (7-2 in the tiebreaker), and 6-2 at third singles.

In doubles play, the first team of Raffi Arkun and Brendan Sokop won in three sets over Finn Birkeland and Jack Lawler, 6-7 (3-7 in the tiebreaker), 6-4, 7-5.

The second duo of Shlok Kudrimoti and Kurt Rothermund lost to Charlie Langendoff and Alex Breuker 6-2, 6-2.

In the state semifinals, the Pioneers beat another Cape Ann League foe, Hamilton-Wenham, 3-2, on June 11 at St. John’s Prep in Danvers.

In this match, Rothermund and Matt Reinold were the heroes clinching the victory at second doubles as they defeated Alex Boardman and Jaden Wang, 7-5, 7-6 (7-1 in the tiebreaker)

“Those guys came up big,” stated Dunn. “It was a very exciting match.”

At first singles, Levin beat Elois Chadel, 6-1, 6-1. McCarthy defeated Keenan Maguire, 6-0, 6-1, while Kudrimoti fell to Rory Taylor, 6-1, 6-1, at third singles.

In the first doubles match, Kasdon and Sokop lost to Max Clarke and Henry Stinson. Kasdon and Sokop won the first set, 6-3, but lost the second one, 6-4. With the match already decided, they played a 10-point tiebreaker for the final set and lost 10-5.

The fourth-seeded Generals, who lost 3-2, to Lynnfield in the regular season, ended the year at 17-3.