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The Winchester High School boys tennis team (16-4, 10th seed) has advanced to the Elite 8 in the Division 1 state tournament after first shutting out Boston Latin (6-10), the 23 rd seed, in the Round of 32 on May 28, 5-0, before edging BC High (13-5, seventh seed) in the Sweet 16 on June 3, 3-2.
The Red & Black will now face Acton-Boxborough (13-1, second seed) in the Elite 8 on Thursday afternoon (June 5, 4:30 p.m.) at the Concord Academy Moriarty Athletic Campus.
There are 52 teams in Division 1, and 35 of them made the playoffs this year.
Against BC High, Winchester’s Henry May lost in first singles, 6-2, 6-3. Carl Stredicke was able to win his second singles match in straight sets, 6-0 6-3. Sam Song also came out on top in third singles, 6-4 6-1.
The first doubles team of Thomas Andrews and Jamie Binda-Dunn came up short, while the second doubles team of Adhvay Karthikayen and Kadhir Kumeran was victorious, 6-3, 6-2.
“We were able to upset BC High to make it to the Elite 8 after losing to them twice during the regular season by the exact same score,” said Coach Michael Lauretano. “The difference here was that Carl Stredicke was able to flip his second singles match to get us the win.
“You could tell they really wanted it as soon as they got on the bus for the trip to the BC High campus in Dorchester,” added Lauretano. “There was something in the air, and after everything was all said and done, they were naturally ecstatic with the win.”
This is the team’s deepest run in the state tournament in two years, when All-Scholastic Logan Li suited up for the Red & Black. In 2023, the Winchester boys lost to eventual state champion and Middlesex League rival Lexington in the Elite 8, 5-0.
Girls tennis update
The Red & Black girls tennis team (17-3, eighth seed), coached by Greg Lowder, will be taking on Boston Latin (14-3, top seed) in the Elite 8 on Friday (June 6, 1 p.m.) at the Sportsmen’s Tennis and Enrichment Center in Dorchester.
The Winchester girls started the Division 1 state tournament with a shutout win over King Philip (11-10, 25 th seed), 5-0 in the Round of 32 at the Crosby Street Courts in Arlington on May 28. They then defeated Needham back in Arlington, this time at the Spy Pond Tennis Courts on June 2, in the Sweet 16, 4-1.
There are 56 teams in Division 1, and 36 of them made the playoffs.