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Tennis Seniors
Woodstock Academy seniors, from left: Connor Quinn, Stefan Chervenkov and Asier Ruiz will lead the Centaurs boys’ tennis team this season. Courtesy photo.
Two years is a pretty long period of time and lots can change — especially in high school.
Siana Green returns as coach of The Woodstock Academy boys’ tennis team, but has been busily reacquainting herself with her team.
Woodstock opened the season with a 7-0 win over Killingly last week. The Centaurs finished 14-4 in 2019 thanks to the talents of singles players like David Fleck, who finished with a 12-4 record at No. 1 singles - Luigi Boselli (14-2) Riley Douglas (11-6) and Matt Tiffany (9-5).
Unfortunately, all four of those players are gone. It means two-thirds of Green’s top doubles players from two years ago, Stefan Chervenkova (who was 10-5 at No. 1 doubles with Aidan Stewart) and the No.2 doubles team of Connor Quinn and Jai Abrams (12-6) will be in the singles ranks.
Chervenkova, now a senior, had played doubles with Stewart, now a college freshman, for two years and enjoyed the experience as Stewart was a very vocal partner.
This season, there is no partner to fall back on. That’s something that Chervenkova is actually looking forward to.
During the pandemic lockdown phase, there was no chance to play. But during the summer, Chervenkova was able to play a bit more.
Still, playing in a recreational way is much different than playing competitively for a team.
“Mentally, it’s been tough for all us,” he said. Chervenkov looked good in his first singles play as he shutout Killingly’s Lucas Clayton 6-0, 6-0 in the season opener.
Returnees Connor Quinn and Evan Haskins have settled into the second and third singles for the Centaurs for now.
Quinn, a senior, downed Killingly’s Kevin Rice 6-1, 6-0 and Haskins was a 6-0, 6-0 winner over Kevin Gore.
No. 4 singles player Kyle Pazienza had it easy as he won by a Killingly forfeit.
Abrams is back at doubles but has a new partner with Quinn playing singles.
Abrams is now at first doubles with Cormac Nielsen and they produced an 8-1 victory over Killingly’s Anthony Purcell and Jason Khaomongk.
Gabrial Viau and Asier Ruiz, the only other senior on the Centaurs team, won at second doubles with James Le and Cang Nguyen also winning easily at third doubles.
Green said the lineup shake up is not limited to Woodstock Academy after a year away from competition.
“It’s going to be the same for every team we play. Everybody had to rebuild. We’re all in the same boat,” Green said.
Outside of a couple of matches with Stonington, the Centaurs will have a bit of a scaled-back schedule.
They will play in Division 2 with the likes of Killingly, St. Bernard, Lyman Memorial, and Montville rather than some tennis powers like E. Lyme and Waterford.
Green already likes the work ethic the team has displayed, coming early and leaving late from practice.
And a title is not the biggest goal. Normalcy is.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
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