NORTHAMPTON — The Northampton boys tennis team defeated Minnechaug Regional, 5-0, Tuesday, and moved on to the semifinals of the Western Massachusetts Division 1 Tournament.
Northampton coach Doug Winsor knew how hard his team had worked to get to this point in the season and was not going to let them forget before their quarterfinal matchup at JFK Middle School.
“Before the match I talked with them about how it’s been a long grind,” Winsor said.
The first-year coach wanted his players to not take for granted what they have achieved.
“We got the No. 3 seed and we had a chance to play an opponent we had beaten earlier in the year, because of all of our hard work,” Winsor said. “So now don’t let it go to waste.”
Northampton, which defeated Minnechaug, 3-2, on April 17, heard the message. The Blue Devils dropped one set combined in their sweep over No. 6 Minnechaug.
Northampton’s Stefan Johnson defeated Minnechaug’s James Leone 6-3, 6-1, at No. 1 singles. Leone won the first game, but that was his only lead of the set.
At No. 2 singles, Blue Devil Aidan O’Brien dropped the second set, but held on beat Matt Berg 6-2, 4-6, 6-1. O’Brien took a 2-0 lead in the second set, but Berg responded by winning three straight games and eventually the set. O’Brien regained control and quickly took the third set and the match.
Jake Duggan won No. 3 singles decisively against Logan Mitchell, 6-1, 6-0.
Hamp’s No. 1 doubles team of Galen Winsor and Chris Raphael-Reily beat Kyle Biermann and Dan Garza, 6-2, 6-2. Both sets were tied at 2-2, but Winsor and Raphael-Reily found their rhythm late each time.
At No. 2 doubles, Jack Denhart and Matt Skrzynski defeated Sean Walsh and Tom Dufor, 6-3, 6-0.
“They have to celebrate this win,” coach Winsor said. “The guys have come through all season.”
The Blue Devils (14-5) will play at rival and No. 2 Amherst Regional (14-2), Thursday at 3:30 p.m. The Hurricanes swept Northampton during the regular season.
“I think if I can just keep them focused on one day at a time and not getting ahead of themselves, then I think we have a chance,” Winsor said.