There was no easing into the season for the Concord High boys’ tennis team. The Crimson Tide opened its season Friday on the road at Exeter, the team that has become one of Concord’s main rivals in recent years.
The Blue Hawks knocked the Tide out of the Division I semifinals in 2012 and 2013. Concord returned the favor by beating Exeter in the 2014 quarterfinals, and the Tide took the regular-season meeting between the two last year.
Concord kept its grip on the rivalry with an 8-1 road win on Friday against the Blue Hawks, who returned five of their six starters from last year’s team that reached the semifinals. It was a great start for the Tide, who return three starters from last year’s D-I runner-up squad, but it was tighter than the final score suggests.
“I was impressed with the poise our kids showed in pulling out a number of close matches,” Concord Coach Dave Page said.
The day started with some high-tension drama worthy of a rivalry. Concord senior captain Justin Toler fell behind early against Exeter’s Cam Maher at No. 1 singles, but after line judges were put onto the court following a request from Toler after a number of controversial calls, Toler turned things around to claim an 8-5 win.
Concord junior Sebastian Hart-Meyer fell behind at No. 4 singles, 6-3, to Exeter’s Emmett Bloomer. But Hart-Meyer, a new starter for the Tide, ran off the final five games for an 8-6 win. Concord junior Matt Chorlian, playing in his first organized tennis match of any kind, claimed an 8-5 win at No. 5 singles and teamed with Hart-Meyer for an 8-6 win at third doubles.
Aidan Connor (8-4 win at No. 2) and Adam Bryant (9-7 win at No. 3) both claimed singles wins for the Tide. And Toler and Connor, who figure to be one of the top doubles teams in the state, won 8-2 at first doubles.
“Today’s result could easily have gone the other way despite the scoreline,” Page said. “We’ll need to stay humble and keep improving, but there’s no doubt it was a great first step for us.”
Coe-Brown 8, Pembroke 1
Key players: Coe-Brown – Tom Mellor (8-0 singles winner), Nate Griffiths (8-0), Tyler Holman (8-1), Nick Sanderson (8-3), Donovan Corliss (8-3)
Highlights/key moments: The Bears claimed their second win in as many matches during singles play and then went on to sweep the doubles in Pembroke. Jared Carlson and Griffiths teamed for an 8-2 win at first doubles, Mellor and Holman won 8-0 at second doubles and Hunter Olofoson and Jared Neal won 8-4 at third doubles.
Coach’s quote: “Great win by the boys.” – Coe-Brown’s Sam Struthers
Records: Coe-Brown 2-0; Pembroke 0-2
Plymouth 5, Bishop Brady 4
Key players: Bishop Brady – Thomas MacMullin (8-2 win at No. 1), Danny Bryck (8-2 at No. 2), Jackson Bouley (8-1 at No. 3), MacMullin/Bryck (8-1 at No. 1)
Highlights/key moments: A shorthanded Brady team won at the top of the ladder, but after splitting singles, the Giants saw Plymouth take the second and third doubles matches for the win. Harry Zha turned in a strong effort at No. 5 for Brady before falling, 8-3.
Records: Brady 1-1; Plymouth 1-1
Kearsarge 5, Portsmouth Christian 4
Key players: Charlie O’Connor and Tyler Valovic (8-6 win at second doubles), Matt Hubley (9-7 at No. 4 singles), Jeff Wallace (9-8 at No. 5), Sam Bourcier (8-5 at No. 6)
Highlights/key moments: With the match tied at 4-4 and daylight fading in North Sutton, O’Connor and Valovic came through with the win at second doubles to give the Cougars their first win of the season. Kearsarge’s new coach, Lynn Miller, spent ample preseason practice time working on doubles and it paid off for Valovic and O’Connor, who used a tough lefty serve to close out the match. Hubley and Bourcier won, 8-2, at third doubles for the Cougars.
Records: Kearsarge 1-0; Portsmouth Christian 0-2
Bow 9, Conant 0
Key players: Bow – Brayden Binder (8-0 at No. 1), Mike Mullen (8-0 at No. 2), Evan Alfano (8-2 at No. 3), Jack Olson (8-0 at No. 4), Aditya Shah (8-2 at No. 5), Hayden Udelson (8-0 at No. 6), Brody Call/Dillan D’Allesandro (8-0 at No. 1), Justin Huppe/Zach Mullen (8-3 at No. 2), Sam Windsor/Dalton Allaben (8-0 at No. 3)
Highlights/key moments: The Falcons swept the visiting Orioles to remain undefeated.
Records: Bow 2-0; Conant 0-1
Exeter 6, Concord 3
Key players: Concord – Becky Cistulli (8-6 win at No. 1), Cistulli/Alex Killinger (9-7 at No. 1), Colleen Casey/Sabrina Hart-Meyer (8-4 at No. 2)
Highlights/key moments: Killinger battled at No. 2 singles before falling, 9-7. Aggressive play at the net led to two doubles wins for the Tide.
Coach’s quote: “They have a deep team, but I think if we see them in the playoffs it will be a different outcome.” – Concord assistant Rebecca Killinger
Records: Concord 0-1; Exeter 1-0
Plymouth 6, Bishop Brady 3
Key players: Bishop Brady – Ravalika Damerla (8-6 win at No. 1), Addie Dinsmoor (8-2 at No. 6), Dinsmoor/Ellen Owsowitz (8-4 at No. 3)
Highlights/key moments: Plymouth was able to edge out Bishop Brady in four of the six singles matches, while Dinsmoor had the largest margin of victory on the day.
Records: Bishop Brady 1-1; Plymouth 1-1
Coe-Brown 9, Pembroke 0
Key players: Coe-Brown – Jessica Miles (8-3 win at No. 1), Holly Roman (8-5 at No. 2), Danielle Belcher (8-2 at No. 3), Claire Hammond (8-1 at No. 4), Mary Lee (8-0 at No. 5), Tayla George/Bailey Docko (9-7 at No. 1), Jillian Gordon/Cameron Chick (8-2 at No. 2)
Highlights/key moments: Coe-Brown swept the match against Pembroke, which had only five available players. Mary Lee, a freshman, earned her second win in as many matches this season.
Records: Coe-Brown 2-0; Pembroke 0-2