Update post publication:
Lynnfield defeats Masconomet 4-1 (May 25)
Published May 24, 2023
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
LYNNFIELD — The buzz saw ride for the Lynnfield High boys’ tennis team continued last Friday afternoon as they beat Manchester-Essex, 4-1, at Lynnfield Middle School. It was the Pioneers’ 13th-straight win as they improved to 13-1 overall and ended up at 11-0 in the Cape Ann League.
They have won the CAL Kinney Division five-straight years.
It is also the second time the Pioneers have beaten the Hornets who fell to 11-6 overall and 9-3 in the league.
At first singles, Dan Levin won, 7-5, 6-0, while Shea McCarthy won, 6-4, 6-4, at second singles. Sklok Kudrimoti lost at third singles as he fell in three sets. He won, 6-3, but lost the second set, 6-3. In the third set, he fell, 7-6 (7-0 in the tiebreaker)
In doubles action, the first team of Russell Kasdon and Rafik Khodr won, 6-3, 6-2 while the second team of Brendan Sokop and Raffi Arkun, won in three sets, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
“It was a lot closer than the final indicated,” said Pioneers head coach Joe Dunn. “Besides Hamilton-Wenham, they are the best team in the league we have faced.”
On May 17, the Pioneers beat visiting Pentucket, 5-0, to complete the season sweep over the Panthers.
Levin won, 6-0, 6-1, while McCarthy won, by matching 6-1 scores. Kudrimoti won, at number three, 6-4, 7-5. Kasdon and Khodr won, 6-1, 6-0 while the second team of Matt Reinold and Kurt Rothermund won, 6-0, 6-2.
“Sklok won another nail-biting match and these type of matches should help him in the postseason,” said Dunn, as Kudrimoti is 4-1 at third singles this spring.
Lynnfield wraps up the regular season on May 23 as they host Masconomet at 3:30 p.m.
The Pioneers entered this week ranked third in the MIAA Division 4 power rankings. They will open at home next week when the state tournament starts.
The team’s lone loss came in the season opener where they lost to Division 1 power St. John’s Prep.
