BY RYAN O’CONNORBruce Berk said he doesn’t keep track of his Derryfield School boys tennis team’s successes from year to year. Maybe he’s just lost count. The Cougars have reached the state final 15 of the last 18 years, and they have 12 titles in that span, including the last six. Most recently, they wore the 2008 Class ...

BY RYAN O’CONNORWinning a state tennis championship is a tough enough task. Six individual players have to do their part, then change their approaches and play doubles – generally immediately following an intense singles match. Now, take away two of the starting six and, subsequently, one of three doubles units. That’s what ...

BY RYAN O’CONNORHe was expecting the call, but he still had his fingers crossed it wouldn’t come.It did. CJ Beck picked up the phone. “Remember that bet you made,” said the voice on the other line. “We didn’t forget.” So Beck paid up. West High School’s No. 2 boys tennis player shaved his ...

BY RYAN O’CONNORAmong his 32 years coaching the Central boys tennis team, Mark Telge had to admit this season was one of the most gratifying. After all, the mentor said three of his six starters never picked up a racket prior to this season. Another had never played competitively. Yet there the Little Green were, in the state semifinals ...

BY RYAN O’CONNORBill Cannon thought – his heart racing – the defending state champs might just pull off the comeback. Down 4-2, needing three wins in doubles action, the Central girls tennis team fought handand- raquet with Concord. Central singles No. 1 Margaret Teague and No. 3 Justine Beaudoin faced match point, trailing 7-5 ...

BY JERRY LIPTAKA playoff atmosphere arrived one week early for two good Class I tennis teams – visiting Bow and host Pembroke Academy. While the day’s end marked the season’s close for PA, Bow’s campaign begins anew. The Falcons’ depth proved too much for the Spartans in a 6-3 victory in the regular-season finale on ...

BY RYAN O’CONNORA losing record usually does not constitute a winning season. Try telling that to Pembroke Academy girls tennis coach Steve Langevin. Last season, the Lady Spartans won three contests, the most in program history. This year, they won three in a row at one point and finished with five victories. “This is by far the ...

BY RYAN O’CONNORA team of freshmen and sophomores should not be able to compete against junior- and senior- year opponents. Try telling that to the Bedford High School girls tennis team. The Lady Bulldogs could care less about conventional wisdom. They just want to win. And win they do. With a 7- 2 victory against Monadnock on Monday, May ...

BY RYAN O’CONNORFor the present, *** Valliere watches and encourages their on-court development, knowing success is in the not-too-distant future. The team currently includes one sophomore and four freshmen, and the Goffstown YMCA and Mountain View Middle School are now developing players for the high school program. In fact, sophomore ...

BY RYAN O’CONNORSteve Houle and his Lady Blue Knights aren’t happy with last year’s playoff result, and they plan on spending this entire season rectifying it. After a fine 2007, West tennis fell in the Class L semifinals to city rival and eventual state champ Central. Now, Houle said the pieces are in place to sweeten last ...