By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
NORTH READING — At the school’s sports awards banquet, North Reading High girls’ tennis coach Matt Tiberii gave out three individual awards.
The MVP Award went to first singles player, Althea Bradley. The junior went 12-8 this spring.
Senior co-captain, Vanessa Wright, received the Coaches Award while the Unsung Heroine Award went to fellow senior co-captain, Bhagy Bandara.
Wright went 5-8 at third singles after going 2-1 in second singles at the start of the year as she was 7-9 overall.
Bandara, who played first doubles with Addison Stetson, went 6-12.
ALTHEA BRADLEY — MVP
This season, the Hornets reached the MIAA Division 3 Round of 16 match before falling to league power Newburyport, 5-0, back on June 4.
The Hornets edged Wareham, 3-2, in the opening round.
Overall, North Reading went 10-10 as they were 6-7 in the Cape Ann League. They finished in 3rd place in the CAL Kinney Division behind Lynnfield and Newburyport.
“They exceeded my expectations,” said Tiberii, who was named the CAL Kinney Coach of the Year. “We lost four senior starters from last year’s team but the girls stepped up.”
North Reading will lose Wright and Bandara to graduation.
“I will miss both of them,” said Tiberii. “They were both very good leaders. Bhagy led by example while Vanessa was more of a vocal leader.”
The Hornets are slated to return 15 members next spring including five starters.
“We will go into next year with a lot of experience,” said Tiberii. “We should improve and hopefully go deeper into the tournament.”
The captains for next season were also selected and they will be Bradley, Stetson and Aniya Taneja. All three will be seniors.
