Both the Rockport and Gloucester High boys tennis teams entered Tuesday afternoon winless on the young season, meaning something had to give in the rivalry clash between the two squads.
Fresh off a trip to the Division 3 state quarterfinals a year ago, the Fishermen have turned the page to a fresh crop of youngsters and returning players tasked with filling big slots. And in neighboring Rockport, head coach Ted Twombly’s group is enduring a similar rebuild, with numerous underclassmen and middle schoolers competing at the varsity ranks.
The result was a competitive match at the newly refurbished GHS courts, with the hosts ultimately claiming a 5-0 victory in a tilt that was closer than the final score suggests.
“First of all it’s just nice having 15 kids for Rockport and 13 kids for us; tennis is healthy on Cape Ann which is great to see,” said Gloucester coach Derek Geary, his team now 1-4. “We’ve basically played our toughest matches out of the gate so this was a nice confidence builder and let the guys know that the hard work that they’re putting in does get results.
“So I think it was a positive day and a match that came at a good time,” he added. “Most of the matches today were very competitive and I think the future is bright for both programs.”
Geary isn’t lying; his squad has certainly endured a daunting schedule thus far with matches against reigning Division 4 state champion Manchester Essex, Division 3 powerhouse Bedford, and talented Marblehead and Masconomet squads already in the books. Gloucester lost all four of those bouts by 5-0 scores, meaning all five of its victories on Tuesday were firsts for the spring.
Leading the charge at No. 1 singles was freshman Shane Widtfeldt. The up-and-coming star, who shined at third singles as a middle-schooler last season, has battled admirably against some tough opponents out of the gate. Against Rockport 7th-grader Van Knowlton — a future star in his own right — Widtfeldt established his dominance with a 6-0, 6-0 triumph.
“Shane’s a tremendous athlete, great tennis IQ, and it’s a huge step to go from third singles to first singles but he’s figuring it out,” said Geary. “More times than not you’re playing a senior (at first singles) so it’s freshman vs. senior every match. But he’s a very smart player and I think he will adjust his tactics as he gains experience playing at this higher level.”
For Knowlton — who will undoubtedly take his lumps this year as he adjusts to the stellar competition at the top of the lineup — it was a valiant effort with a number of back-and-forth rallies throughout. Knowlton boasts some good size and strength for a player his age, and showed it with some booming serves and powerful forehands.
“He’s just getting better and better every single game,” said coach Twombly. “He did not expect (to be No. 1 this year), but don’t be fooled by his shyness; he definitely wants to be the No. 1 singles player. That’s something you can’t teach; he’s just got something in him that very few people I see in sports have. There’s something special in him.”
At second singles it was freshman Trey Bushfield who secured a 6-1, 6-3 win over Rockport’s Logan Robinson. Despite the score, it was a lengthy match that could’ve very well wound up tighter on the final scorecards.
Junior Julian Nixon then earned a 6-1, 6-1 triumph over sophomore Tim Patrick at No. 3 to secure the singles sweep for Gloucester.
“Trey’s probably been our biggest surprise in terms of improvement from last year,” said Geary. “He was a JV 8th-grader and now he’s playing second singles. He just loves the sport and is putting in a lot of time in practice and got a nice result today so that was great to see.
“And Julian,” continued the coach, “he’s tenacious and competitive and a bit feisty. He’s been a great addition to the lineup.”
In doubles action, Rockport twin brothers Winston and Solomon Rich turned for a great effort against the Fishermen’s top duo of senior Noah Poulin and freshman Ethan Parisi before ultimately dropping a 7-5, 6-2 decision. That particular match, along with the second doubles battle between Gloucester sophomores Henry Harrison and Sam Young and Rockport senior Gabe McGee and sophomore Jack Trupiano, featured some terrific points. Between trading groundstrokes at the service line to overhead finishes and well placed volleys at the net, both sides had their share of impressive displays of tennis.
“I thought first doubles got better and better as the match went on,” said Twombly. “They’re super communicators, very competitive, and it’s fun to watch.”
“I think I’m happiest with doubles because I was seeing some real tactical play,” added Geary. “They weren’t just getting the ball over the net and hoping for a mistake, they were playing with purpose, going cross court, waiting for the right balls to poach and going to the net together. I saw some good doubles movement today.”
Neither Gloucester nor Rockport is likely to make a deep state tournament run this spring, but both are progressing extremely well in the early stages of the season while setting the stage for plenty of future success.
“So far it’s been successful in their improvements, and if we can keep going on at this level it’s going to be a great year,” said Twombly. “I think this will be a great rivalry (with Gloucester) for years to come. We’re both super young and it’s just a really good set up for the future.”