NEWBURYPORT — It’s crazy to think about how at the start of the decade, there was no standalone Newburyport boys tennis team. The Clippers were still in a co-op with neighbor Triton at that time, and following missing the playoffs in 2021, the postseason drought for the program had extended to eight long years.
But man … how times have changed.
With the numbers to go back to fielding a standalone team in 2022, Newburyport finally broke that playoff drought in the first year of the new MIAA statewide tournament format. And across the few seasons since, the Clippers have just continued to ascend up both the CAL and statewide ladder.
To where now, they’re reaching new heights.
On Saturday morning, No. 3 Newburyport welcomed in No. 6 Scituate to the Nock Courts for the Division 3 quarterfinals, and got the job done in a little less than 90 minutes to earn the 3-2 overall match victory. It all came down to freshman Yaman Kilic at No. 2 singles as the last match standing in a 2-2 deadlock. But following a 6-3, 6-2 triumph by the cold-blooded rookie, the Clippers (15-3) found themselves avenging last year’s loss in the same round, and moving on to the state semifinals for what is strongly believed to be the first time ever.
“Every team is a little bit different,” said Newburyport co-coach Geoff Dawe. “These kids are a little bit more laid back, but they lock in. So we were like, ‘This isn’t like last year at all,’ and I was a little bit worried.
“But, they always come through.”
Since the new playoff format, just take a look at the trend of this program.
2022: 7-7 record, lost in D2 first round.
2023: 6-9 record, missed tournament (first team out at No. 33).
2024: 11-8 record, lost in D3 Round of 16.
2025: 16-2 record, lost in D3 quarterfinals.
2026: 15-3 record, advanced to the D3 Final Four (still going).
And it’s not like the success has been fueled by one dominant class.
Plenty of different faces have come in and exited out of the program over the last handful of years. Last spring’s 16-win team that made it to the Elite 8 was one of the better squads in program history, but was one that graduated out five seniors out of the seven starters.
That, however, hasn’t mattered in the slightest.
Newburyport has it rolling, and the next crop of recruits came into this year eager to learn, and ready to step up and succeed in more prominent roles. The Clippers won their second straight CAL Kinney title this year, and will now get a chance to compete in a state semifinal for the first time ever.
“I think it’s crazy because this year we weren’t expected to go far at all, especially after losing five seniors,” said junior Ronan Refour, who plays No. 1 singles. “And just, being able to win this game is an incredible achievement for us. For the entire team and the coaches.”
All season long, it’s been a team effort.
And that was the case once again on Saturday morning.
Two matches ended in a blink, as No. 3 singles player Jack Gill of Scituate (16-4) beat Beck Andreliunas, 6-2, 6-0, but Newburyport’s second doubles team of Hunter McCormick and Hank Weisberg finished up a 6-2, 6-2 win minutes later. The Sailors would take back a 2-1 overall match lead, with its first doubles team Ryan Tinkham and Bobby Carson beating Lucas Palen and Parker Iversen, 7-5, 6-3. But not too long later, Refour was closing out a 6-2, 6-2 victory at No. 1 singles.
Which left all eyes on Kilic.
A native of Türkiye, the freshman has been clutch for Newburyport all season long. He took care of the first set, 6-3, then was leading the second set 4-1 before a little bit of adversity hit and his opponent, Luke Hurley, earned a break. But Kilic quickly regrouped, earning a break himself before winning his serve to take the overall match, 6-3, 6-2.
“It’s very impressive,” said Refour, a captain, on what Kilic was able to do under pressure. “He’s brand new to the school, too, and the fact that he was able to clutch it up for us was incredible.”
So now, it’s on to the Final Four.
While the season and this current playoff run have been a dream for the program, Newburyport isn’t satisfied just yet. And on Wednesday, the Clippers will look to keep on advancing when they face No. 2 Wayland in the semifinals at St. John’s Prep (4 p.m.).
“Every match it’s been someone different,” said fellow co-coach Chris DiFranco. “Everyone plays a big role on the team. Ronan has come up huge, and last match is was Hank and Hunter who took it for us, so it’s like every time it’s someone else.
“Everyone is important to this team, and I think that’s what makes it special.”