Levin earns Player of the Year honor for second consecutive season

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

LYNNFIELD — Seven members of the Lynnfield High boys’ tennis team were named to the Cape Ann League Kinney Division All-Star team this spring. The Pioneers have won the CAL Kinney crown the past six seasons. 

For the fourth consecutive year, first-singles player, Dan Levin, made the team. The senior co-captain went 18-1 overall and he was also named the CAL Player of the Year for the second year in a row. 

“He was dominant in every match ,” said Pioneers head coach Joe Dunn, as Levin will be playing at Clark University next year. 

Shea McCarthy made the team for the third year in a row as the junior co-captain went 18-2 at second singles.

“He was undefeated in league play,” pointed out Dunn. “He is one of our leaders and he has a variety of skills on the court.”

Russell Kasdon made the team for the fourth-straight year as well. This season, the senior co-captain made it for his play at third singles as he went 7-1. The first three seasons, he made it in doubles as he also played some doubles matches this year as well. 

“He is a very consistent player, ” said Dunn. “He is very focused out there and was able to keep his opponents on their toes.”

Combined singles and doubles this spring, Kasdon was 16-4 overall. 

The Pioneers were 11-0 at second doubles so both main doubles teams made the post-season roster. Junior, Shlok Kudrimoti, and senior, Slate LoPilato, were 5-0 while the duo of senior, Kurt Rothermund, and junior, Matt Reinold, were 4-0.

It is the first time on the All-Star team for all four players. 

“Slate handed the net while Shlok did a good job at the baseline,” said Dunn. “Kurt and Matt had the key win against Hamilton-Wenham in the (Division 4 state tournament) semifinals which was, maybe, the most exciting match of the year.”

Dunn, who was also named the CAL Kinney Division Coach of the Year for the fourth time, knew he had a talented roster this year.

“The fact that we had two undefeated second-doubles teams make the All-Stars this year shows the depth we had,” he said. 

For the third year in a row, the Pioneers made the MIAA Division 4 State Finals. After losing to Weston the past two years, they were upset, 3-2, by fellow CAL team Manchester-Essex on June 15 at MIT in Cambridge. 

Overall, the Pioneers were 19-2 with their only other loss coming to the Division 1 state champions, St. John’s Prep, who went undefeated this year. 

In the CAL, Lynnfield went 11-0.