There’s one thing you need to know when it comes to Thursday’s non-conference match between tennis powerhouses St. John’s Prep and host Lynnfield.
“I’m expecting it to be a battle. There will definitely be some heavy hitting and some great points,” said Prep coach Mark Metropolis.
“I know a lot of the Prep players and have seen them play. We’ve always given them a good challenge,” said Lynnfield coach Joe Dunn. “But we’ve had a little bit of trouble in doubles, more so than singles. We’ve held our own in singles with our one and twos the last few years and I expect the same from Dan (Levin) and Shea (McCarthy).”
Both teams come into the 2:30 p.m. match undefeated with the Eagles at 13-0 and Pioneers at 11-0.
Until last Friday, both teams also sported the top power ranking in their respective divisions, the Eagles in Division 1 and Pioneers in Division 4. The Prep slipped to No. 2 in Fridays’ rankings, trailing No. 1 Concord-Carlisle by a slight margin despite the fact that the Eagles defeated Concord-Carlisle earlier this season.
The match will also have a bit of a hometown reunion feel as three of Prep’s seven starters live in Lynnfield. The heart and soul of the Eagles begins with junior captains, twin brothers Luke and Jack Prokopis. Jack (10-2) mans the second singles slot, while Luke (9-1) partners with Boris Kouzminov at first doubles. Providence College-bound Mark McDuffy also hails from Lynnfield. He and partner Alex Melville are running the table, sporting a 9-0 record at second doubles as of Monday.
“The kids love to play against their hometowns and get to see each other – and that’s one of the reasons we love to play Lynnfield,” Metropolis said. “They always have a great team and there’s always great hitting and the advantage for Lynnfield is they are playing a Division 1 team. Every year, they’ve hit the wall against Weston and we are comparable to Weston, so I know Lynnfield is always happy about that, to be able to compete against another strong program, which will definitely help them come tournament time.”
Metropolis, a Peabody resident now in his 34th year, earned his 500th victory April 25 with a 4-1 win over Wellesley. He said he isn’t concerned about slipping to No. 2.
“The bottom line is that as long as you are in the top four, that probably means you will be in the Final 4 as long as you play your game,” Metropolis said.
Last year, the Eagles were eliminated in the semifinals by eventual champion Lexington, 3-2. Metropolis believes the 2024 team has what it takes to win it all. His Eagles have won four state titles and 29 conference championships in 33 years under his helming. The team has remarkably dropped only three sets all season long, two to Concord-Carlisle and one to Wellesley,
Could this be the year that both teams add some championship hardware to their trophy cases?
“They have the experience of tournament play with some tough, intense matches,” Dunn said. “Weston, last year, was a much stronger team, but I saw that our players played up a level of what they were playing all season because they wanted it badly and they didn’t give up. So, if they play their own game, anything is possible.”
“This team has a really good chance. We were there last year and just one match away,” Metropolis said. “Already, we’ve played three of the top four teams and beaten them, so I do believe we have a great chance – certainly as good a chance as anyone.”
Dunn, now in his ninth year as Pioneers’ head coach, said it’s all about staying confident.
“They have the game, they have the strokes, but they have to stay confident,” he said.
“They need to know that all they have to do is keep the ball in play and not worry about who is on the other side of the net. If they play the ball, they are not going to stress themselves out and make silly mistakes. I like our chances.”
