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Rutland Herald Spring Sports Guide 2019
TENNIS
Area teams looking to make net gains
By Tom Haley
much to sort out after the Raiders
graduated every singles player from
last year’s team.
There are plenty of contenders
and they have experience. They
include Maddie Bourassa, Stephanie
Allen, Amy McGee, E.A. Rushing, Eva
Montoni and twins Taylor and Lilly
Krupp.
Haskell said the others have very
limited tennis experience.
“There’s lot of promise,” Haskell
said.
Staff Writer
T
here was some real sizzle to
the Rutland High School
tennis scene a number of years
ago when the Raiders boasted Zack
Weaver in the No. 1 singles spot and
city rival Mount St. Joseph Academy
countered with Travis Tatko.
Crowds gathered at the White
Playground courts to watch the two
duel on spring days. They possessed
uncommon skill and their matches
were always a treat.
Tennis has been alive and well at
Rutland High since, but boys tennis
died at MSJ. Only the girls at the
school have been playing the sport
for a good many years.
Now, the boys at the academy are
playing again this spring, and are
hoping to put down the foundation
for a varsity sport in the coming years.
It does not have varsity status yet,
but it’s a start.
“We aren’t varsity because we
started too late and don’t have a
schedule. We are trying to get some
JV matches,” Athletic Director Dan
Elliott said.
Nate Haskell is the coach of the
fl edgling program.
Could the Mounties be setting the
stage for another high-interest rivalry?
RUTLAND BOYS
A modern day version of Weaver is
Andres Aguilar, who is beginning his
third season in the No. 1 singles spot
for the Raiders.
“He is one of the brightest players I
have ever coached,” veteran Rutland
coach Rob Purdy said. “He never gets
rattled. He can fi nd a solution to the
problem and change his game.
“This year he is a little more
driven.”
MSJ GIRLS
ROBERT LAYMAN / STAFF PHOTO
Mount St. Joseph’s Fridjha Esper serves a ball to Rutland’s Eva Menconi, not
pictured, during a varsity tennis match at the Grand Slam in Rutland.
It has been a special senior year
for Aguilar, who also earned a spot
on the Vermont team that will play
against New Hampshire in the Lions
Twin State Soccer Cup in July.
Purdy believes Aguilar’s introduc-
tion to the game in Mexico as a small
boy before moving to Rutland has
served him well.
“He had lessons from an older
guy and didn’t develop any crazy
grips. He plays a classical game,” the
Rutland coach said.
The other players who will be the
mainstays of the singles matches and
possibly No. 1 doubles are Jensen Kel-
ley, Dylan Roussel, Charlie Hubbel,
Augie Louras and Brady Kenosh.
“Those are the big six,” said Purdy,
who has 23 players out for the sport.
“There are so many kids that I
am trying to fi gure out who belongs
where.”
The Raiders’ only state crown came
way back in 1986 in a sport that has
been the domain of the northern
schools in Division I.
“We always shoot for at least the
quarterfi nals and anything else would
be gravy,” Purdy said. “We are going
to have to mature during the season
but it has been a really good two
weeks of practice.”
Aguilar has been a constant and the
other players competing in singles
have the experience.
But it takes depth to make a deep
playoff run and that is the part that
is consuming Purdy’s time in the
preseason.
“I go home and try to rank the
players after practice. It changes every
day,” Purdy said.
RUTLAND GIRLS
Whereas Purdy’s No. 1 singles
player is chiseled in stone, Mary
Haskell still has that decision to make
on the girls side at Rutland. There
are lots of new faces and Haskell has
Gary Thompson is the Mount St.
Joseph girls tennis coach and, as is
usually the case, a large slice of his
practices will be devoted to teaching —
stressing the fundamentals and basics.
The Mounties return three players
and most of the rest of the squad is
pretty new to the game.
The returning players are Lizzy
Wright, Kristen Elliott and Pearl Bel-
lomo. Wright will be likely penciled
into the No. 1 spot on the ladder. She
possesses a strong forehand.
Rounding out the squad are Lucy
Gallo, Shavonnie Adams, Miracle
Wood, Werline Folin, Fridjha Esper
and Harles Sarai.
The Mounties have an extra player
this year and that’s good news for a
program that has frequently been
short on players and had to forfeit
games in many matches.
“The girls have been very coachable
and enthusiastic,” Thompson said.
The opener was April 4 at home
with Woodstock and the city rivalry
with Rutland High took place April 9
at the Whites Playground courts.
The Mounties again will call the
courts on Meadow Street home.
Hockey continued on page 19