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Wakefield boys tennis squad is soaring;, Highland is rebuilding
It's hard to imagine a better sequel script than that in Ryan Cook's hand.
The Wakefield School boys tennis team returned after one of its most successful seasons in history, one led by a new coach, no less, and the Owls hope to repeat as Delaney Athletic Conference champions and VIS Division II state qualifiers.
Alas, sequels have that stigma as inferior, and it can be hard to get the original actors to recommit.
David Muss, for example, passed on playing the role of the Owls' No. 3 singles player this season on Coach Cook's tennis team, opting instead to act in the school play. Brian Mascatello also left Wakefield for Episcopal School.
The rest of the cast has returned, though, and the Owls started similar to the 2008 season, in which they went 14-2 and became the first Wakefield team in any sport to win regular season titles in the DAC and Cavalier Athletic Conference and a DAC tournament title in the same season.
Wakefield improved its 2009 record to 4-1 Thursday with a 7-0 win over usually-dominant Highland School, their third-consecutive victory over the county-rival Hawks and an unthinkable feat two years ago.
“They lost a couple kids,” said Cook of Highland. “But, even with that, they'd still be able to beat us if we hadn't been able to improve so much. Our program's gotten better. That's for sure.”
Carter Dale, particularly, has shown progression, moving from the Owls' No. 4 singles player last season to No. 1. He started the preseason at No. 3, went 2-0 in No. 2 matches and is now 1-1 at No. 1.
“I've improved on consistency and my serve,” said Dale, who downed Highland's Gavin Terpilowski, 8-2, in the No. 1 singles clash.
Dale's rise also coincides with the emergence of new No. 5 singles player Marcin Ostrowski.
Ostrowski beat Highland's Chris Dang, 8-1, Thursday.
Other Wakefield wins came from No. 2 Jack Byers, who defeated Will Mackie-Jenkins, 8-1; No. 3 Brenton Lewis, who topped Connor Deal, 8-0; and No. 4 Ian Martin, who beat Evan Hendrick, 8-1.
Byers and Martin combined to defeat Deal and Mackie-Jenkins, 8-1, at No. 1 doubles, and the No. 2 team of Dale and Lewis defeated Hendrick and Terpilowski, 8-2.
Wakefield's two triumphs over Highland last season were harder to come by – 5-2 and 4-2 – but this latest victory was no less satisfying.
“It just means the most because of the rivalry we have,” Dale said. “It's kind of a big deal when you best Highland. It just means something more because they normally beat us...”
See the Wednesday print edition of the Fauquier Times-Democrat for the complete story.
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