Trinity defends home court, now must visit kings of the north

MANCHESTER, NH – With a 7-2 win over visiting Littleton Wednesday, the Trinity boys tennis team advanced to the quarterfinals of the Division-III playoff tournament.

Now, the Pioneers (7-8) must travel north, where they’ll play at undefeated top-ranked Plymouth (14-0) Friday at 4 p.m.

“The goal of any team is to make the playoffs, which we did, plus we got a home match,” said Trinity head coach Chip Polak. “Now we get to go up and play the No. 1 seed, but that’s what happens in a tournament, so I’m really proud of this team. They’re very well qualified for the tournament and I couldn’t ask more of them.”

The Pioneers, competing in their fourth-straight postseason tourney, have leaned heavily on a core group of four seniors this season.

“They’re the meat and potatoes,” said Polak.”Really, the seniors are the bulk of the team, as players, as leaders, in all facets. I couldn’t ask for anything more from this group of seniors.”

Leo Skiathitis has played atop the Trinity ladder for the last two seasons, followed by Jared Ferland on the second court, Ian Shamel, at No. 4 and Aidan Quirk at No. 5.

That experience was on display Wednesday as Skiathitis and Shamel shutout their opponents, 8-0, and Ferland and Quirk each won, 8-1.

Cam Hawkins, a sophomore, was third on the Pioneers ladder and is set to lead a talented group of up-and-comers next season, including AJ  DelaTorre, who played sixth for the Pioneers Wednesday.

Though Hawkins fell, 8-5, in his singles match, he teamed with Shamel to earn an 8-3 triumph on the doubles court.

Similarly, Delatorre was edged, 8-6, but contributed to an 8-4 win with Quirk in the third doubles match.

Skiathitis and Ferland blanked their foes on the first court, 8-0.

Polak noted that prior to Wednesday, the Pioneers had yet to play Littleton and won, and while Plymouth is undoubtedly a strong opponent, the reality that his team is a relatively unknown to the top seed gives them a chance.

“Plymouth is really, really good. They’re No. 1 for a reason, and they’re undefeated, and they beat Kearsarge, who is really good, and St. Thomas Aquinas, who is really good, and we lost to both of them. So it’ll be a tough one, but anything can happen.”

“Right now, I’m just really proud we made the final eight,” he added. “A lot can be said for that.”

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