GIRLS’ TENNIS CAPTAINS Izzy Figucia (left) and Kelley Nevils proudly present a new sign to head coach Craig Stone at the Pioneers’ end of the season banquet last week. The sign, which honors the State Championships the Pioneers won under Stone in 1982, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2014, will be hung at the Lynnfield High School tennis courts once the courts get redone. (Jane Skelley Photo)
Published in the July 1, 2015 edition
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — The girls’ tennis team celebrated its impressive season during the Pioneers’ end of the season banquet last week.
The Pioneers concluded the 2015 season with an overall record of 20-1. Lynnfield won its second straight Cape Ann League Small Championship during the regular season. The locals won its second straight Division 3 North sectional championship in memorable fashion, as the Pioneers defeated rival North Reading 5-0 in the sectional championship. Lynnfield fell 3-2 to Division 3 state champion Martha’s Vineyard in the state semifinals at Lexington High School.
Lynnfield’s graduating seniors concluded their high school careers with a 65-11 overall record from the past four years. The seniors also served as catalysts for the 2014 Division 3 state champion Pioneers.
Head coach Craig Stone presented special team awards to eight Pioneers during the banquet. Captain Kelley Nevils received the Contributed Most Award. She also received the Lynnfield Athletic Association (LAA) Scholar-Athlete Award, which is awarded to the student-athlete with the highest grade point average (GPA). Captain Izzy Figucia was the recipient of the Coaches’ Award.
Rachel Maglio received the Unsung Heroine Award. Sophomore Sarah Mezini was the recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award and was also honored for being named CAL Player of the Year.
Junior Olivia Skelley and sophomore Katie Nevils each received an Outstanding Achievement Award for compiling an undefeated record at first doubles this spring. Kayla Collins and Melanie Richard each received a Team Spirit Award.
In addition to Mezini, Stone and the Pioneers honored Kelley Nevils, Figucia, Katie Nevils and Skelley at the banquet for being named CAL All-Stars this spring.
Stone presented varsity certificates to sophomores Allison Carey, Camie Foley, Mezini, Katie Nevils and Katie Nugent. The juniors who received varsity certificates were Skelley, Amanda Stelman and Hayley Timmons. The seniors who received varsity certificates were Collins, Figucia, Maglio, Kelley Nevils and Richard.
Additionally, Stone presented sub-varsity certificates to freshmen Christina Albano, Makayla Maffeo, Madison McCormick and Jen Pagliuca. The sophomores who received sub-varsity certificates were Danielle Douglas, Laura Mucci and Christa Romano. The juniors were received sub-varsity certificates were Kristina Cushing, Ally D’Amico, Nicole Davie, MaryKate Deighan, Mariana Theophiles and Jocelyn Wang.
Skelley and Stelman were elected captains for the 2016 Pioneers, who are returning a strong nucleus from this season. The team also presented Stone a sign that will be hung on the new tennis courts after they get renovated. The sign pays tribute to the state championships the locals won under Stone’s direction in 1982, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2014.
“We will be waiting for the new courts to be done,” Stone told the Villager in an e-mail. “(Contractors) will probably have to remove the old fence to do the courts, so we wanted to wait and make sure the sign did not get damaged. I was told that construction should be taking place at the end of the summer or early fall.”
