THE LHS boys’ tennis team earned their sixth straight CAL title after finishing with an undefeated league record yet again. The Pioneers earned the top seed in the D4 state tournament and will host a first round match against the winner of No. 32 Turners Falls vs. No. 33 Mashpee, date and time to be announced. (Courtesy Photo)
After press time:
Lynnfield (#1) defeats Mashpee (#33) 5-0 (May 30)
For more details and the latest state tournament updates, click here.
Published May 29, 2024
Earn top seed in Div. 4 state tournament
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
NORTH READING — In their final match of the regular season, the Lynnfield High boys’ tennis team beat host North Reading 5-0 on May 23.
With that victory, the Pioneers swept the season series over the Hornets.
Lynnfield also officially clinched their sixth-straight Cape Ann League Kinney Division title as the Pioneers finished the regular season at 11-0 in the CAL and 15-1 overall.
At first singles, Dan Levin won in three sets. He won 6-3 then lost 3-6 in set two. Since the match was already decided at that point, they played a 10-game tie-breaker for the third set and Levin won 10-3.
Second-singles player, Shea McCarthy also won in three sets. He lost 2-6 in the opening one but then won 7-5 in the second set. Like Levin’s match, they played a 10-game tie-breaker as McCarthy won, 10-6, to clinch the win.
Third-singles player, Shlok Kudrimoti won 6-1, 6-0, at third singles.
In doubles action, Raffi Arkun and Russ Kasdon won in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4 while the second pairing of Matt Reinold and Kurt Rothermund won, 6-3, 6-1.
“North Reading is a good team with two strong players at fist and second singles,” said Pioneers head coach Joe Dunn. “Their first doubles team also gave Russ and Raffi a good run. They should do well in the Division 3 tournament.”
The day before, the Pioneers blanked Rockport 5-0, also on the road.
Levin won, 6-0, 6-2, while McCarthy won, 7-5, 6-1, at second singles. Kasdon played third singles and he won, 6-4, 6-3.
Brendan Sokop and Slate LoPliato played first doubles and won, 6-0, 7-6 (7-3 in the tie-breaker). The second doubles team as Reinold and Alessandro Raimondi and they won, 6-0, 6-1.
“I mixed up the doubles teams so it was nice to see them win,” said Dunn.
The seedings came out for the MIAA Division 4 state tournament over the weekend and the Pioneers are the top seed.
Their first playoff match will be ether May 30 or June 1 at home (time to be determined). They will play the winner of the Turner’s Falls-Mashpee preliminary match, which will take place on May 29.
