This weekend, Andover Boys Tennis had four athletes representing the team at individual championships. Peter Heidrich ’11 and Captain Mark Adamsson ’11 participated in the top singles bracket, and Alasdair McClintic ’13 and Michael Kontaxis ’11 competed in the second singles bracket. While this was an individual tournament, the whole team went up to Choate to watch the games and cheer on their teammates. “We were playing for ourselves but representing the school at the same time so it was fun to have the team supporting me there,” said McClintic. McClintic was the huge surprise of the tournament, winning his first three matches before succumbing to a Senior from Belmont Hill in the finals. “After having such a close first match (8-6), I really thought that I wouldn’t get very far if I continued playing like that. I was still half asleep during that match. But a few Gatorades got me awake and I played well during the next two matches, which then got me into the final,” said McClintic. McClintic’s impressive play, even when outmatched in the finals, was a good sign for Andover’s team next year. Six of the seven on varsity will return next spring. “Playing his way to the finals of the NEPSITT second singles as a freshman is a terrific accomplishment and bodes well for the future,” said Coach Gregory Wilkin. In the premier singles draw, Heidrich lasted the longest, reaching the semifinals before losing a heartbreaking super-tiebreaker in the final set. Adamsson also achieved a milestone, winning the Banta MVP award for “leadership, character, and sportsmanship”. Andover’s young squad closed out its season with reason to look forward to next spring with optimism.
