LYNNFIELD — If ever there was a team on the verge of a breakout season this spring, it has to be the Lynnfield boys tennis team.
Last year’s Pioneers’ team had its best season in three years. Under the guidance of second-year coach Joe Dunn Sr., the Pioneers finished the regular season 11-5 and qualified for the Division 3 tournament as the No. 7 seed only to fall in the first round to Hamilton-Wenham.
This year the season began right on schedule March 19 outside at the middle school surrounded by giant snow banks after the boys traded their racquets for shovels and cleared off one of the courts.
With six of seven regular starters returning to the lineup and 17 players returning to the program, there are plenty of reasons to think that another successful season is waiting in the wings.
“We lost just one starter who decided not to come back this year, so we have almost the entire team coming back,” said Dunn. “We had a great season last year, but learned a lot from our tournament loss to Hamilton-Wenham. It was their first time in the tournament for all of them, so I think their emotions got the best of them a little, so we learned that we need to keep our emotions intact.”
Back again as Pioneers’ captains this year are 4-year senior starters Colin Lamusta and Arlex Correa Ramirez. Lamusta also served as captain in 2016 as a sophomore.
Ramirez played second singles last season, while Lamusta dropped down to third singles after playing two years at first singles.
Senior Max Rothermund is also back. He manned down the top singles slot last year. Senior Andrew Seelig and junior Michael Gentile, who played first doubles last year, are also back, as is senior Lorenzo Russo, who played second doubles last year.
Other returners include seniors Andrew DePalma and Sean Murray; juniors Mike Maffeo IV, Steven Scangas, Matthew Gunning, Nicolas Dow, David Gentile and Alex Pellegrini; and sophomores Jason Stelman and Mark Arkun.
Also in the mix for playing time are newcomers Chris Areglado, a junior, and freshman left-hander Jamil Khodr.
“It’s still early as we have not had ladder matches yet, but Chris has good athletic ability and tennis skills and Jamil potentially could be a top-7 skilled player. He has power and topspin on his groundstrokes and I don’t know where he will play but he stands above the rest. And I also have some freshmen who are beginners, but others who have played and a few of them have good strokes and need work obviously.”
As far as team goals go, Dunn said it’s all about effort.
“All of these kids have potential if they stick with it and give me their best effort, no regrets, win or lose,” he said. “Only they know if they give their best effort. If they prepare mentally, physically and emotionally for each match, then each will be more successful and they will gain confidence. I can see that the seniors, who have been with the program really understand it now compared to when they first came in.”
The Pioneers open the new season next Wednesday when they host conference powerhouse Manchester-Essex.