HADLEY — Lee Ferguson didn’t just take Hampshire County and western Massachusetts by storm last spring; try the entire state. Ferguson, now a seventh grader on the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School boys tennis team, wasn’t much taller than the net last year. Just a sixth grader then, he wasn’t as physically developed as his opponents on the court.

Yet, they stood no chance.

Ferguson went undefeated the entire season until the Dragons’ MIAA Division 4 Final Four match, where he finally lost. But he’s back and better than ever for PVCICS, and he’ll man the No. 1 singles spot after spending all of last year at second singles.

Dragons head coach Mike Locher had Aidan Cleary penciled in as his first singles player just as he did last year, but Cleary, a senior, decided not to play for PVCICS this spring. That moved Ferguson up to No. 1, and forced Locher to shuffle the lineup around.

Had Cleary played, he and Ferguson would be the top two singles players once again, and twin brothers James and Teddy Scott could continue their dominance at No. 1 doubles. That would allow another set of brothers, Derek and Devan Ye, to play second doubles, where they were widely successful in 2024. But  now, Locher is likely going to have to break up one of the doubles pairs and put them at second and third singles.

The Dragons, which won the 2024 Western Mass. Class C championship and went 19-0 until the state semifinal, are using the first few matches to figure out exactly what their lineup is going to look like moving forward.

“I do think we’re going to have another strong team,” Locher said. “I was a little surprised our No. 1 from last year decided not to play this year, but we should have a strong No. 1 in Lee Ferguson. We’re still trying to figure out the lineup right now, because I had two very good doubles teams and one of them will have to split up and play second and third singles. But I do think we’ll be strong in western Mass. again.”

PVCICS is going to be tested almost immediately to see just how tough they’re going to be. Locher scheduled a very tough independent slate of games, including matches with Boston Latin Academy, Maimonides School, Northampton and perhaps even Nantucket (that match is still to be determined). The strong schedule Locher has created is going to both help the Dragons’ MIAA power ranking and also give his team confidence once the postseason arrives.

They did something very similar last season, and it punched them a ticket to the D4 Final Four. PVCICS is hoping for the same result this time around.

“We’ve got some matches scheduled against Boston teams, so those will be challenges for us,” Locher said. “We need that kind of challenge to get us toughened up for the tournament again.”

Heading into the 2024 state tournament, PVCICS was ranked No. 2 in Division 4. Winning a Western Mass. championship and making the state semis showed everyone on the team what they are capable of. And aside from Cleary, everyone is back to make it happen once more.

Locher recalls his team being in shock when they saw their high state ranking, and admitted it wasn’t necessarily a thought that they could have that kind of statewide success. But now, it’s become something they’re striving for.

“All of them were a little bit in awe of the fact that we were so highly ranked,” Locher said. “I think these guys saw that we are in fact a good program, and we’re deep. We have a lot of really good players, and if we lose one or two matches, everybody else steps up. Top to bottom, everyone is capable of winning a crucial match for us, which is what they did last year. It definitely built their confidence, because now we go in thinking, ‘Hey, we got a real shot here.’”

The Scott brothers are the lone seniors on PVCICS’ roster. Locher complimented their leadership skills, calling them “great role models for the younger guys.” Between them, Ferguson, the Ye brothers, Simon Speek, Gabe Loinaz and several other Dragons players who can step up and win when needed, PVCICS is primed for another very strong season on the courts in 2025.

On the girls side, Eric Cestero steps in as head coach of the Dragons and inherits a solid group of tennis players. Elisa Shinn, Sabine Loinaz and Lien Moran are expected to be PVCICS’ singles players this season, while Eloise Tolejo and Kendall Christenson have been the first doubles tandem to start the year and Chelsea Chartier and Kaylin Lane check in at second doubles.

The Dragons lost, 3-2, in the Division 4 preliminary round but lost only one senior from that team and have all the tools for a successful year.

Amherst

Girls

The ‘Canes have six seniors on this season’s team, and are fresh off a Western Mass. Class A semifinal and Division 2 state tournament appearance. Under new head coach Claire Cocco, Amherst has a whopping 33 players on its roster this spring. The half-dozen seniors are Ella McDermott, Aliya Osman, Ada Paesall, Elena Ruiz, Maiya Salacuse and Daniella Sherman.

Amherst is off to a hot start, and Cocco said her team is eager to get back to the postseason.

“We are hopeful to come back, and hungry to try again,” she said.

Boys

Another first-year head coach in the Amherst tennis programs, Michael Derosa steps in to lead the Hurricanes boys team in 2025. Like the girls, they are off to a strong start with two wins in their first two matches. Amherst lost only two seniors from last year’s team and has three talented singles players in Brock Waldman, Elias Katsaros and Kai Roopnarine.

Amitav Dhingra and Alex Pobezinskiy make up the ‘Canes first doubles team while Noah Magnus and Eli Ferris slide in at No. 2 doubles. After going just 3-9 last year, Amherst is looking strong to kick off 2025.

Belchertown

Girls

It seems as if the Orioles girls tennis team is always good under head coach Alanna Grady. She’s had some dominant teams of late, most recently in 2024 when Belchertown went 20-4 and claimed the Western Mass. Class B championship before falling in the Elite Eight of the Division 3 state tournament. To start this season? Three matches. Three sweeps.

That’s pretty remarkable considering Belchertown lost 10 seniors from that championship team, including the star duo of Ava Shea and Anna Stamp. But with Amanda Murray, Mia Corish, Gianna Picardi and Katie Collins all stepping into bigger roles, the Orioles seem to be just fine and should compete for a Valley Wheel title.

Boys

Vinny Rodriguez steps in to coach the Orioles boys program after longtime coach Zach Siano stepped down after last season. With Siano went a lot of Belchertown’s players, including senior Trevor Weiss – who Siano called one of the best players in program history.

Rodriguez has a small team to work with this spring, and he’s piecing together his lineup as the first few weeks of the season unfold. Juniors Liam Sherwood, Jake Gormely, Tyler Burrows and Luke Dudek will lead Belchertown this year.

Frontier

Girls

The Redhawks have 17 players on their roster this season as Andrew Varnon enters year No. 2 as head coach. None of the 17 players are seniors.

Freshman Ella Sibley is in her third year with the team and was a co-captain last year. She’s expected to be in the mix for her Frontier’s first singles position after taking lessons all offseason. Freshmen Aylen Shaw and Thanushi Ratnatuge bounced around from third singles to first doubles last year, and should be in the mix for singles positions in 2025.

Eighth graders Esther Ehle and Kayla Fagan were last year’s top point-getters, teaming up at second doubles. They won nearly 80 percent of their matches and help round out this young Redhawks squad.

Boys

After one year off, Brian Campbell is back coaching Frontier as he did in 2022 and 2023. Last season, the Redhawks went 8-9 and lost in the first round of both the Western Mass. and state tournaments. 

Oliver Brown came into the season needing two wins to become the all-time leader in wins in Redhawk boys tennis history, and he already accomplished that just a few matches into the year. He was a doubles player for most of his career but steps into a singles role this spring.

Brayden Reipold is Frontier’s first singles player, Matt Sibley is a four-year player who specializes in doubles and Harrison Manning, Noah Nichols and Xavier Fripp are all young players competing for spots in the lineup.

Northampton

Girls

The Blue Devils have a large roster under head coach Suzanne Baxter, one that holds 17 sophomores out of the 23 total players. One of those sophomores is Bess King-Pollet, who Baxter believes will have a big season at first singles for Northampton.

Northampton has four seniors, led by the veteran leadership of Casey Barber and Giselle Ohm – the Blue Devils’ first doubles pair.

“I expect their on-court chemistry to hold them in good stead this season,” Baxter said.

Baxter’s goal is to develop and integrate the sophomore class for future seasons to come, but also make the most of her seniors’ final season in 2025.

Boys

The reigning two-time Gazette Player of the Year, Reilly Fowles, is now a senior and should be close to unbeatable this season. Fowles has been dominant his whole career and likely won’t stop now as he maneuvers through his final campaign of high school tennis under head coach Ben Lewis.

Elsewhere, Northampton has strong players like Durrell Patrick, who didn’t lose a single match in 2024 until the MIAA Division 2 Round of 16, as well as Ollie Levine and Reed O’Connor. Levine and O’Connor were a doubles tandem last season and after having that experience under their belt, Lewis says they’ve elevated their games in 2025.

“After playing together for a year, their teamwork and doubles chemistry is evident,” Lewis said.

Holyoke

Girls

It’s head coach Danny Lawren’s first season with the Purple Knights, which went 1-12 last season. Holyoke put up a fight in its season-opener on April 1, losing 3-2 to Chicopee Comp in a Pioneer League matchup.

Lawren’s goals are to improve on last year and remain competitive in league play throughout 2025.