Youth movement the driving force behind undefeated Boston Latin girls’ tennis – The Boston Globe

The youth movement begins with first singles star Halina Nguyen and second singles standout Vanessa Vu, both freshmen, while sophomore Rachel Lantsman has provided a steady hand at third singles.

That trio doesn’t even include the youngest player in the starting lineup. That distinction belongs to eighth-grader Lilian Nguyen, Halina’s sister, who plays alongside senior Christine Maher at first doubles.

“The younger girls’ mental stability on the court is honestly so impressive,” said senior Mirabelle Berman Reinhardt, who plays second doubles with classmate Romy Li. “At that age, it’s so hard to have the idea that you’re carrying the weight of the team on your back. They are able to just keep us going. They know what they’re doing and they’re able to maintain their confidence even when things aren’t going their way.”

Boston Latin coach Paulanne Wilson recognized the potential of the Nguyen sisters last spring when she inserted Halina and Lilian at first and second singles, respectively. The duo helped the team advance to the Division 1 quarterfinals, where the Wolfpack saw their postseason halted by a 4-1 loss to Brookline.

This year, Boston Latin turned the page by avenging that loss with a 5-0 victory over Brookline in its season opener on April 6. The Wolfpack haven’t looked back, posting 5-0 victories in every match with the exception of a 3-2 win at Weston on May 5.

The team has been atop the MIAA Division 1 power rankings since the initial release on April 28.

Wilson attributes the continued No. 1 ranking not only to her team’s scores, but also the gauntlet of tough opponents that athletic director Jack Owens scheduled.

“My AD did a good job of picking the teams because we’ve been No. 1 in the rankings since they came out,” Wilson said. “You can get away with things, but when you play teams like this you can’t get away with anything.”

Boston Latin turned in one of its signature wins of the season Thursday when it cruised to a 5-0 victory over 2022 Division 1 runner-up Lincoln-Sudbury (12-2).

It won’t get any easier for the Wolfpack. The team closes its regular season against three premier Division 1 programs, including defending state champion Lexington (18-0) on Monday before facing Winchester (13-2) on Wednesday and Acton-Boxborough (8-0) on Friday.

As much as the players want to head into the state tournament with their perfect record intact, they are more focused on their performances rather than the outcomes.

“Paulanne is incredibly supportive whether we win or lose,” Maher said. “We’re not too afraid to fail, so we really put everything out on the court. We’re really excited when we win and we want to stay undefeated, but what really matters is how we play, not if we win or lose.”

Vu echoed Maher’s outlook, adding that the undefeated streak does provide the team with confidence.

“It’s definitely something that motivates us,” Vu said. “I think every win makes us feel a little more confident, but we still try to go into each game playing our best.”

Although the singles players demand so much attention due to their ages and skill, Wilson said the team will need its doubles pairings to be at their best to ensure a deep postseason run.

“Our strength is really in the doubles when it comes down to it,” Wilson said. “The singles, too, but I need my doubles to win no matter what because a lot of teams have good, strong singles.”

Regardless of how this season ends, the seniors will always cherish the success the team experienced during their final season.

“I’ve been on the team since seventh grade, and we’ve never gotten close to doing this well,” Berman Reinhardt said. “We’ve always gone to states and advanced a little bit, but it’s never been this promising. Especially with the new kids on the team, it’s really exciting to see. I hope it continues after we leave, too.”

▪ The Apponequet boys’ team isn’t shying away from the success experienced during its 15-0 start.

“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t talked about,” coach Nate Eleuterio said. “In the beginning, it really wasn’t. But then as it started happening, it was like, ‘OK, we’ve got a good shot to go undefeated.’

“Now that’s motivating them even more to try to get that perfect season.”

Despite fielding a young starting lineup that includes sophomores in two of three singles positions, the Lakers have been the class of the South Coast Conference after posting a 10-0 record against SCC foes.

Sophomore Will Horton (first), junior Nate Belmore (second), and sophomore Judson Cardinali (third) have anchored the singles positions. Senior Jason Demers and junior Ethan Clark have shined at first doubles, and Eleuterio has relied on a mix of players at second doubles.

“They don’t like losing,” Eleuterio said. “They don’t like even losing at sets. I really love their competitiveness and the way they keep each other on their toes at practice.”

▪ After an extended postseason drought, the Billerica boys’ team (8-5) is heading to the postseason for the first time in recent memory.

The Indians secured their spot in the Division 1 state tournament Thursday with a pair of 5-0 victories over Lawrence in a Merrimack Valley doubleheader.

Thursday marked senior day for Billerica, which celebrated its only senior, cocaptain Eddie Othieno Jenkins.