A cheering crowd of Island fans greeted the Vineyard boys tennis team when it returned home Saturday carrying a trophy for the second straight year.
The boys won the division three state tournament 4-1 Saturday in a match against Bromfield at Clark University in Worcester.
Kent Leonard clinched the match at singles, 6-3, 6-3, an hour and 15 minutes into play.
Play was under way early Saturday afternoon on the courts at Clark University in Worcester with the storied Vineyard boys tennis team, in the state championship finals for the second straight year. The team plays Bromfield for the state division three title. The Gazette will be posting live accounts of the match on twitter.
Marking history in the high school tennis program, the Vineyard boys will go to the division three state finals for the second straight year following a decisive win over Weston in the semifinals Wednesday.
The team plays Saturday against Bromfield, seeded number one and winner of the central section. The game begins at 1 p.m. at Clark University in Worcester, a changed location from what was originally planned.
The Vineyard was seeded number two and won the section title Saturday.
It was only fitting that the televisions were showing the latest French Open matches on Saturday afternoon as Vineyard tennis players past and present gathered to celebrate a coach who has become an Island tennis institution.
After 23 years, several one-loss seasons, one undefeated run and one state championship title, head coach Ned Fennessy, 80, is retiring.
The boys’ varsity tennis team suffered its first defeat of the season against a tough Barnstable squad Monday afternoon. The Vineyarders had not lost a match since June of 2011. Senior co-captain Justice Yennie's 54-match winning streak also came to an end.
Home sports action picks up after April vacation on Monday with boys’ lacrosse taking on Dartmouth at 3 p.m. On Tuesday girls’ lacrosse hosts league opponent Coyle and Cassidy at 3 p.m., and sailing takes on Barnstable at the Sailing Camp Park at 3 p.m.
