By DAN PAWLOWSKI
WAKEFIELD — Tennis in April is never easy.
That goes double for tennis teams in the Middlesex League, where some of the best programs in the state call home.
The Wakefield High girls’ tennis team has worked through those challenges in the first few weeks along with multiple postponements and a lack of practice time due to weather that has been especially poor for the start of this spring season.
As always, the Warriors started their season against some of those powerhouses from the league’s Liberty Division and had some promising individual matches including taking two from Arlington in the season-opener and Melrose on April 11. Wakefield broke through with a 3-2 win over Stoneham on April 14 but have since fell to Woburn, Burlington and Watertown.
“It’s been a bit of a rough start with the weather but we will keep improving as the season goes on,” said head coach Kathy Healey. “Everyone is working hard together and we have a team full of really good teammates.”
Leading that example are Wakefield’s two senior captains, Addie Moon and Toni Whitson. The two have been doubles partners for multiple seasons and were both Middlesex League All-Stars as well as team MVP’s last season for a Warrior squad that made the Div. 2 state tournament with a regular season record of 5-11 before falling to North Attleborough in the first round.
“They’ve been doubles partners for years,” said Healey of Whitson and Moon. “They have also been great leaders as senior captains.”
Wakefield has more experienced players returning at singles this year. Sophomore Nora Fitzgerald is at first singles; junior Allie Cook plays at second singles and senior Audrey Cook is at third singles.
At second doubles against Watertown on Monday at the Dobbins Courts was senior Ellie Butler and sophomore Ella Medeiros.
Together, these returners will help lead a group of 29 players in the program.
With such a big number, Healey got a grant from the United State Tennis Association to hire two assistants: Wakefield High and tennis alums Abby Chapman (’17) and Olivia Dziadyk (’18).
Altogether, the program is strong and the Warriors are looking forward to building momentum as the season progresses.
Against the Raiders on Monday, Moon and Whitson won at first doubles, 6-1, 6-1 and Audrey Cook won at third singles, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 but Wakefield came up just short in their other three matches to fall 3-2.
The Warriors will travel to Wilmington today and then Winchester on Friday with both matches starting at 4:15 p.m.