Mike Haxton turned the Lebanon High boys tennis team into state champions last year. For his next trick, he’s resuscitating a dormant girls program.
The Raider boys’ pursuit of a second successive NHIAA Division II title will be a top story in Upper Valley high school tennis this spring. It has a very good chance of happening: Lebanon brought five of its top six players to singles play, and the gaps behind the regulars have been filled in either with experience or athleticism. Haxton upgraded the schedule, too, setting up two matches with 2016 finalist Oyster River that should have the Raiders prepped for the postseason.
The Lebanon girls didn’t have a team last spring, but that changed with Haxton’s recruiting efforts. Junior Fatima Khan, who was part of the Raider boys’ championship run, now has nearly a dozen girls trying the sport with her, brightening the program for the future.
Also newsworthy: The Hanover girls move to Division I after winning the last three D-II titles. They could be a factor, as they also bring back a large contingent from last spring. Their promotion follows that of the Marauder boys, who did the same thing three years ago.
As Lebanon welcomes back girls tennis, Hartford says goodbye to its program because of low turnout. Woodstock remains as the Upper Valley’s only Vermont-based tennis-supporting school.
Hanover
Coach: Jarrod Shaheen (3).
Last Year: 11-6, lost to Derryfield in state quarterfinals.
League: NHIAA Division I.
Returnees: Seniors — Will Bonner (captain), Benny Gantrish, John Ne. Juniors — Jasper Meyer, Matty Siegel. Sophomore. Aidan Biglow.
Newcomers: Juniors — Lincoln Adam, Noah Borell. Sophomore — Gary Li. Freshmen — Will Blinkhorn, Matt Bonner, Will Tarnowski.
Analysis: The Marauders will be looking to continue their progress in their third season in D-I, after a 7-8 campaign the first year to double-digit wins last spring. Hanover’s depth has improved thanks to competitive play within the team. Getting his youngest players up to speed will be coach Jarrod Shaheen’s first big challenge.
“Our goals for the season include transferring our deep skill set into higher-quality match play, being smart about shot selection and continuing to develop our mental game,” he said. “Each (player) has improved greatly from last year, and the newcomers are going to give the returners a run for their money.”
Lebanon
Co-coaches: Mike Haxton (3) and Rob Johnstone (1).
Last Year: 17-0, won first state championship in program history.
League: NHIAA Division II.
Returnees: Seniors — Terran Campbell, Noah Didehbani, Jacob Peress, Noah Ryder. Juniors — Owen Johnstone, Brodie McPherson, Erik Spaulding. Sophomore — Lasse Bisp.
Newcomers: Seniors — Graham Chickering, Peter Elder, Noah Forman. Freshmen — Reese Armstrong, Roneet Arora, Eric Gessner, Nathan Magari, Benjamin Tichner.
Analysis: With five of their top six singles players back from last year’s title run and plenty of athleticism down the line, the Raiders are loaded for a repeat. Peress, Campbell, Didehbani, Johnstone and Ryder will serve as the backbone, with Bisp, McPherson, Spaulding and the senior newcomers providing depth. The large roster also speaks well for the future beyond 2017.
“I’m hoping that we’re going to get to the finals again,” said co-coach Mike Haxton, who has led Lebanon to two straight D-II finals appearances. “I’ll tell you this: The kids won’t come into any match cocky about it, I’ll guarantee that. They know what’s in place.”
Woodstock
Coach: Dave Miles (3).
Last Year: 7-8, lost to Champlain Valley in first round of states.
Leagues: VPA Division I, Marble Valley League.
Returnees: Senior — Kyle Rasmussen. Juniors — Justin Kopf, Gardner Gotttshegen, Ethan Earle. Sophomores — Oliver Wilson, Peter Borden.
Newcomers: Senior — John Quest Holding. Freshmen — Alden Cloutier, Asa Gaddis, Carl Gebhardt, Micah Lockhart, Clay Lynch, Sam Powers.
Analysis: The Wasps will compensate with numbers what they may lack in experience this spring. It’s been almost 20 years since a Woodstock boys tennis team last won a state title and nearly 10 since the last visit to the finals. In its seventh year as a single-division sport in Vermont, tennis throws up a lot of road blocks at the Wasps, but they’ve shown they can handle them.
“The biggest roster in my three years of coaching is pretty exciting,” coach Dave Miles said. “We are young and green, but there is good talent there for the future. Our primary goal is always to qualify for the playoffs, not always an easy task for one of the smallest tennis-playing schools in the state.”
Hanover
Coach: Liz Murray (3).
Last Year: 16-0, won third straight undefeated NHIAA Division II state title.
League: NHIAA Division I.
Returnees: Seniors — Rine Uhm, Margaret Werner. Juniors — Bri Laycock, Ellen Lamm, Mindy Wu, Grace Li. Sophomore — Emma Watson.
Newcomers: Senior — Chiara Rothwell-Ferraris. Juniors — Hellie Smith, Emma Burwell.
Analysis: It’s a new world for the Marauders, who jumped up to Division I after three straight championships — and 50 straight victories — in D-II. The win streak reached 51 before a loss at Exeter on Monday. Hanover can expect tougher matches week in and week out; D-I can expect an opponent that returns a lot of talent from last year and won’t be intimidated by high expectations.
“We are looking forward to new challenges in Division I this season,” coach Liz Murray said. “We have a strong and dynamic lineup with good depth. … We are fortunate to have a tight-knit group of players who work well together and share the interests and goals of the team.”
Lebanon
Co-coaches: Mike Haxton and Rob Johnstone (1).
Last Year: Dormant for lack of players.
League: NHIAA Division III.
Returnee: Junior — Fatima Khan.
Newcomers: Juniors — Leah Mayes, Makenzie Corbin, Kaitlin Chamley. Sophomore — Emerson Sleeper. Freshmen — Felicity Breedlove, Zola Campbell, Esperanza Daly, Artemisia Delgado, Caitlin McHugh, Amalia Neu, Audrey Perotti.
Analysis: Haxton, who is the athletic director at Lebanon Middle School as well as the Raiders’ varsity boys tennis coach, is benefittting from recruiting at younger levels of the school system. Khan, a member of Lebanon’s boys team last spring and the sole returnee from the Raiders’ last girls team two years ago, will anchor the top of a roster short on playing experience but long on athleticism and enthusiasm.
“I have no seniors, so I have two years with them playing; I’m optimistic,” said Haxton, who will share coaching duties with longtime Lebanon boys soccer coach Rob Johnstone. “I said to Fatima, ‘How are these girls compared to when you played two years ago?’ And she thinks some of them are good. We’re setting little steps. We’ll see if we can get two or three wins the first year, and we might surprise ourselves.”
Stevens
Coach: Karen Cullison (9).
Last Year: 3-9, missed state tournament.
League: NHIAA Division III.
Returnees: Seniors — Cameron Cullison, Alexis Parliman, Rebecca Moody.
Newcomers: Senior — Carly Reynolds. Juniors — Mariah Lawrence, Tess Whitney, Chloe Neuser, Kedgyna Dor. Sophomore — Katie Strecker. Freshmen — Clara Avery, Callaway Barratte, Samantha Hagar, Michelle Holvani, Fallon Lavertue, Meredith Strout, Teresa Varela.
Analysis: The Cardinals sent their No. 1 doubles team to states last year; one half (Hannah Scott) has graduated, but Cami Cullison remains to lead a large but young roster. Tess Whitney and Kedgyna Dor are relatively new to the sport, but both possess athleticism that will aid in Stevens’ depth.
“We are looking forward to a year of growth and learning,” coach Karen Cullison said. “We have some excitement and positive energy this year.”
Woodstock
Coach: Tom Hopewell (19).
Last Year: 15-2, lost to Montpelier in state semifinals.
Leagues: VPA Division II, Marble Valley League.
Returnees: Senior — Sarah Findeisen (captain). Junior — Grace Frazier (captain). Sophomores — Momo Biele, Kenzie Biele, Emily Haynes, Katey MacMaster, Chloe Noble.
Newcomers: Freshmen — Lydia Howe, Olivia Marsicovetere.
Analysis: If the Wasps are to realize their hopes of advancing past the state semifinals, they’ll likely need contributions from the full roster. All seven of Woodstock’s returnees can play singles and will give each other good competition for spots on the ladder. The two freshmen are already playing together at second doubles.
“Woodstock has had players hitting in the offseason, which should pay off in the early part of the season,” coach Tom Hopewell noted. “We have seven veterans returning, so that should also help.”