HONESDALE — The 2025 spring sports season may only be two weeks old, but Honesdale’s boys tennis team is already one of the most pleasant surprises on the local scene.
Under the direction of coaches Patrick Stanton and Elliot Zackoski, the Hornets have powered their way to victory in four of their first six Lackawanna League matches.
Led by seniors Leo Martinez-Valerio, Luke Murray, Daven Good and Mason D’Albora, Honesdale is right in the thick of this year’s race for a District 2 playoff berth.
“I’m very happy with how things are going so far,” Stanton said. “The kids are definitely working hard, and they get along really well. I’m excited to see what they can do the rest of the season.”
Honesdale’s latest win came Thursday afternoon at home versus Scranton High. Thanks in large part to singles victories by Mike Reiprich and Martinez-Valerio, the Hornets cruised to a 4-1 decision.
Weather permitting, they’ll be back on the court Tuesday for a non-league match at Pittston Area. Action gets underway at 4 p.m.
The mantle of leadership
One of the main reasons for Honesdale’s success in the early going is a solid nucleus of battle-tested veterans.
Martinez-Valerio leads the way. The senior and team captain is a stalwart at second singles, providing dependable leadership on and off the court.
“Leo’s a great kid, and he’s been around the program forever,” Stanton said. “He’s a baseliner for the most part, but he’s also good at moving his opponent around the court. Leo has a consistent serve, and he really hustles.”
On Thursday, Martinez-Valerio made short work of Scranton’s Dominic Huffman, cruising to a straight set (6-4, 6-4) win.
Murray and D’Albora also made key contributions to the victory.
A multi-sport standout who’s coming off a stellar basketball season, Murray is currently excelling at first doubles. During Thursday’s match, the senior southpaw teamed up with sophomore Matt Christiansen to post a straight set (6-0, 6-0) win over Scranton’s Neel Bhavasar and Jeff Kaub.
“This is Luke’s first year on the team, but he does pretty much everything well,” Stanton said. “Luke is an excellent all-around athlete who covers the court really well.”
D’Albora has the potential to play just about anywhere in the lineup. At the moment, he’s penciled in at second doubles, where he’s thrived with several different partners.
“Mason could definitely play singles, too,” Stanton said, “but right now he’s doing a very good job in doubles. Mason really hustles along the baseline and at the net.”
Good is another lefty who primarily plays doubles. He works hard and always does whatever is asked of him to help the team.
“Daven bounces back and forth between first and second doubles,” Stanton said. “He’s a good communicator who can win no matter who he’s paired up with.”
Top of the Pops
Lewis Smith and Mike Reiprich round out the Hornets’ singles contingent.
A junior who’s at the top of the lineup, Smith suffered a heartbreaking three-set loss on Thursday to Scranton’s Tom Bergman. The final score was 6-7, 6-4, 6-7.
“Lewis also plays soccer, so he’s an athletic kid,” Stanton said. “He’s a home schooler who we’re really happy to have on the team. Lewis can play from the baseline, but he isn’t afraid to slice the ball and follow it into the net.”
Meanwhile, Reiprich is beginning to look like his old self after rehabbing a wrist injury. A sophomore who was last year’s top singles player, Reiprich is currently playing No. 3 but may not stay there for long.
“Mikey is really starting to feel like himself again,” Stanton said. “He hits the ball very hard with a ton of topspin. Mikey also has a big serve that a lot of his opponents have a tough time handling.”
All things considered, Stanton believes that a Week 1 victory over West Scranton may be the team’s best performance to date.
The Hornets dropped two of three singles matches but rallied to take both doubles encounters and eke out a 3-2 decision.
“That’s one of the signs of a good team,” Stanton said. “I tell the kids all the time that getting those 3-2 wins is the key to a good season overall.”
On the horizon
Honesdale also owns big wins over perennial title contenders Valley View and North Pocono.
The Hornets are 4-2 and primed to add several more victories to their resume with upcoming matches against Mid Valley (2-4), Delaware Valley (1-3) and Wallenpaupack Area (0-4).
However, they must also face Holy Cross (5-1) and Scranton Prep (6-0). Also on tap are crossovers with Tunkhannock (5-1) and Wyoming Area (4-3).
“I definitely think we’re moving in the right direction,” Stanton said. “If the boys keep working hard and stay focused, I think we can compete with just about anybody.”
This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Honesdale boys tennis team solid start in Lackawanna League action
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