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Laura Hines, left, and Mari Utell, right, Lebanon’s number one doubles pair, celebrate after clinching their NHIAA Division III semifinal win with an 8-4 match win over Profile’s Makenna Price and Belkin Holden in Bethlehem, N.H., on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. Lebanon won five matches to Profile’s four to advance to the championship.(Valley News – James M. Patterson) -
Laura Hines, of Lebanon, returns a shot during her doubles match with teammate Mari Utell during the NHIAA Division III semifinal with Profile in Bethlehem, N.H., on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. Lebanon won 5-4 overall and will advance to the championship. (Valley News – James M. Patterson) -
Mari Utell, of Lebanon, gets under a shot from Mackenna Price, of Profile, during their NHIAA Division III semifinal match in Bethlehem, N.H., on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. Utell won 8-5. (Valley News – James M. Patterson) -
Laura Hines, of Lebanon, left, picks off a shot from Ella McPhaul, of Profile, for a point as Belkin Holden, of Profile, right, braces herself during their Division III semifinal doubles match in Bethlehem, N.H., on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. Hines and teammate Mari Utell won the match 8-4. (Valley News – James M. Patterson)
BETHLEHEM, N.H. — When it came to a return to the NHIAA division III tennis final, you just couldn’t stop the Lebanon Raiders.
Not with an 80-mile drive, the longest of the season. Not with a dispersed setup that left the six-player travel squad even more separated. Not with an uncommonly hot day after weeks of cold. Not even with an unbeaten team in front of them.
The third-seeded Raiders rode two big wins in doubles matches, including the deciding no. 1 doubles match, to take down the unbeaten second-seeded Profile Patriots 5-4 and return to the state final for the second consecutive year.
The teams split their singles matches, with Lebanon’s 1, 2 and 4 players winning, but Lebanon’s no. 3 doubles team of Payton Breedlove and Nina Ellingson opened the door with a big 8-3 win before Mari Utell and Laura Hines clinched the win by taking their doubles match 8-4.
Adjustments, Lebanon coach Rob Johnstone said, were the key to Lebanon defeating the Patriots.
“Our five and six singles lost, combined for doubles, realized that Profile were getting a ton of balls back but weren’t really looking for winners, moved forward, got to the net and just dominated. To lose both those singles matches and then to take the doubles, that was really key,” Johnstone said.
Another adjustment for Breedlove and Ellingson? Playing separated from the rest of the team. While both team’s top four singles players setup at the two courts in downtown Bethlehem, the fifth and sixth players were moved to a second location nearly a mile and a half away to speed up the afternoon.
“Teenagers are pretty pliable,” said Johnstone of his team’s adaptability. “I didn’t hear one complaint, just ‘okay, we’re playing here, you’re playing there, good luck, see ya’. I think the fact that it wasn’t even mentioned was the best part of it.”
Lebanon will now fire up the white Chevrolet van that ferries the team one more time to face unbeaten Gilford in the state final. The Golden Eagles have been dominant all year, with their closest full-length win coming via a 7-2 margin, but Lebanon have played them closer than most.
The two teams faced off in an abridged match on May 22, with Lebanon falling 5-1, but the Raiders were missing Mari Utell, their no. 2 singles player and saw Laura Hines win the no. 1 singles match, giving Johnstone optimism going forward.
“They are aware that we were missing our no. 2, so it’s not like they’ll surprise them,” said Johnstone. “But like Profile, from 1 to 6, they’re consistent. So are we.”
Utell, for her part, is “nervous but optimistic” on facing the Golden Eagles for the first time this year.
“Obviously, they beat us pretty good the first time, but with everyone shifting down a spot, I think we have a good chance,” Utell said.
And does beating one undefeated team give the Raiders the confidence they can down another?
“Oh yeah, it does.”
First serve for the final is set for 4 p.m in Concord on Friday.