MIDDLEBURY — The most successful spring team at Middlebury Union High School — boys’ tennis — kept rolling late last week.
On Wednesday the Tigers topped a shorthanded BFA-St. Albans squad at home, 6-1, and on Thursday they went on the road to defeat another shorthanded squad, Spaulding, 7-0.
The Tigers improved to 9-2 and were hoping to pick up two more wins in a doubleheader at home vs. Harwood on Friday, a result that would have locked down a top-four seed in Division I. The Harwood matches were played after the early holiday deadline for this issue. The Vermont Principals’ Association is scheduled to release playoff pairings early on Monday.
Whether the Tigers can defeat traditional D-I powers like Stowe and South Burlington for a title remains an open question, but Coach Ken Schoen believes his team can make a tournament run. 
“I don’t see why we wouldn’t, based on how strong the team is,” Schoen said, adding, “I thought at the beginning of the year these guys would be deep up and down the lineup, and that’s proven to be true. They’ve improved a lot,” 
He also cited the team’s chemistry and maturity.
“More than any other team, I’ve given them a lot of responsibility for all kinds of decision-making, which has been fun. It’s raised their level. I talk to them about lineups, practice times, challenge matches, who’s in charge of different things,” Schoen said. “They’ve really taken a lot of responsibility, which is really nice.”
Meanwhile late last week the Tiger girls’ tennis team stood at 3-6 after falling in a pair of matches at St. Albans on Wednesday. Their Thursday match with Spaulding was rained out. 
The Tiger girls have already tripled their victory total from a year ago heading into a match scheduled at Harwood on Friday, a team they have defeated this spring, and they have raised their quality of play substantially. 
TIGER JOSEPH FINDLAY serves to his singles opponent from Bellows Free Academy during the Tigers’ match on Wednesday. Findlay is undefeated this season.
 
Independent photo/Steve James
BOYS’ RESULTS
Against St. Albans on Wednesday: 
•At No. 1 singles, Jesse Rubin, MUHS, defeated Jacob Newman, 6-0, 6-1.
•At No. 2 singles, Sam Daly, MUHS, defeated Nate Smullen, 6-3, 6-0.
•At No. 3 singles, Jayden Bedand, BFA, defeated Drew Kiernan, MUHS, 6-2, 6-4.
•At No. 4 singles, Joseph Findlay, MUHS, defeated Hunter Hannis, 6-3, 6-1.
Tiger No. 5 singles player Hunter Munteanu, the No. 1 doubles team of Andy Giorgio and Abel Anderson, and the No. 2 doubles, Oliver Poduschnick and Aiden Cole all won by forfeit. The Tiger doubles teams are undefeated this spring, as is Findlay.
On Thursday at Spaulding only three matches were contested:  
•At No. 1 singles, Findlay, MUHS, defeated Matias Tchantouridze, 6-3, 6-2.
•At No. 2 singles, Anderson, MUHS, defeated Gus Hahn, 6-1, 6-2.
•At No. 3 singles, Karic Riche, MUHS, defeated Ben Isabelle, 6-2, 6-2.
MIDDLEBURY DOUBLES PLAYER Abel Anderson plays a forehand on the run during his win on Wednesday with partner Andy Giorgio over a BFA St. Albans duo.
 
Independent photo/Steve James
TIGER GIRLS
On Wednesday at St. Albans, in the first match: 
•At No. 1 singles, Elizabeth Bright, MUHS, lost to Helen Barrow, 8-4.
•At No. 2 singles, Julia Bartlett, MUHS, lost to Lily Hebert, 8-2.
•At No. 3 singles, Abby Bailey, MUHS, lost to Chloe Dussart, 8-1.
•At No. 4 singles, Gabi Marin, MUHS, lost to Lizzie Hill, 8-1.
•At No. 5 singles, Bridget Graham, MUHS, lost to Lydia Hodgeman, 8-0.
•At No. 1 doubles, Lois Alberts and Emma Franklin, MUHS, defeated Taylor Marte and Isabelle Zemione, 8-4.
•At No. 2 doubles, Isadora Luksch and Ellie Kiel defeated Brianna Bean and Sami Love, 8-4.  
In the second match:
•At No. 1 singles, Bright, MUHS, lost to Barrow, 8-0.
•At No. 2 singles, Bartlett, MUHS, lost to Hebert, 8-1.
•At No. 3 singles, Bailey, MUHS, lost to Dussart, 8-1.
•At No. 4 singles, Marin, MUHS, lost to Lizzie Hill, 8-1.
•At No. 5 singles, Ori Krizo, MUHS, lost to Hodgeman, 8-1.
•At No. 1 doubles, Alberts and Franklin, MUHS, lost to Taylor Marte and Isabelle Zemione, 8-7.
•At No. 2 doubles, Luksch and Kiel defeated Brianna Bean and Madysen White, 8-5.