Boys’ tennis state finals roundup: Lexington upsets top-seeded Brookline; Duxbury wins D2

His father, Michael McCandless, and grandfather, Victor Zue, spent their Father’s Day watching him and his sister, Kyra, help the Minutemen tennis teams sweep the state championships. His older brother, Kyle, a 2020 Lexington graduate now playing at Cal Tech, never beat Brookline or won a state title.

“At least one of us has been on the team for six years now, would’ve been seven without COVID, our crossover year,” McCandless said. “I think this is a win for both of us.”

The third-seeded Minutemen (25-0) outlasted pesky St. John’s Prep, 3-2, to reach the final. The top-seeded Warriors (23-1) cruised to the championship match, winning each playoff match by no worse than a 4-1 margin but have now lost two consecutive state title matches.

McCandless got things going at first singles, topping Brookline sophomore Deven Devaiah 6-3, 6-2. Lexington freshman Arindam Bagga followed with a 6-3, 6-3 decision over junior Peter Khudyakov at third singles. The Minutemen clinched at first doubles with seniors Aahan Mehra and Rohan Reddy sweeping Brookline sophomores Kiran Bhatia and Ravin Bhatia 7-5, 6-3.

Lexington seniors Gavin Ohler and Naveen Kothandaraman topped seniors Owen Eskey and Jacob Kapusta 7-6 (5), 6-3. Second singles finished the match with Lexington freshman Rudr Malayya topping junior Dhevin Nahata 6-4, 3-6 (6).

“We were all expecting a dog fight,” Lexington coach Chris Pugliese said. “To see the outcome that happened today? I don’t know where that came from. Everybody came to play today. Something was just inside of us that wanted it.”

Division 2 State

Duxbury 3, Westborough 2 — Racket tossed. Hands up in disbelief.

After an 11-shot rally ended with a flawless down-the-line backhand, Duxbury sophomore Tim Vargas let his emotions go, well aware of his role in cementing the Dragons as state champions. Vargas clinched the 3-2 win in a marathon first singles battle, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 over Westborough junior Srinjoy Ghosh.

“I just had to throw something because I was so happy,” Vargas said. “Tennis is usually individual, but being on a team is such an amazing time. I love it.”

The top-seeded Dragons (23-1) needed what coach John Bunar described as Vargas’s best to surpass the second-seeded Rangers (14-6) at MIT’s duPont Tennis Courts.

“To put that match away . . . as cool as he did, he showed maturity beyond his years,” Bunar said. “He’s got competitive juices and loves to play tennis.”

Duxbury took an early 2-1 lead when Duxbury sophomore Taylor Bettencourt topped Westborough sophomore Jorge Garcia Gonzalez 6-2, 6-3 at third singles. At first doubles, Dragons senior Peter Evans and sophomore Bennett Stout bested Rangers juniors Michael Ku and Eehab Kahn 6-2, 6-1.

At second singles, Westboro sophomore Kaden Chen defeated Duxbury senior Colby Hall 6-2, 6-1.

Second doubles and first singles matched each other game-for-game until Westborough junior Brendan Estephan and freshman Jordan Hlawek topped Duxbury senior Adam Sohmer and sophomore Peter Burnham 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 to tie it.

That left first singles, where Vargas avenged two prior losses to Ghosh and lifted the Dragons to their fifth state title.

“I was playing for safe, smart shots,” Vargas said, “but it came down to a hard winner, and I pulled it off.”

Division 3 State

Wayland 4, Dover-Sherborn 1 — After graduating their top two singles players from last year’s state championship-winning squad, the burden fell on Wayland’s talented freshman Jeffery Zhang to carry the torch at first singles — and help guide his team to a repeat title.

Though Zhang took some bumps along the way, he was in peak form, notching a 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 victory at first singles to help lift the top-ranked Warriors (12-6) to their second straight Division 3 championship.

“I had a lot of pressure put on me to produce for my team, being in the top spot right away,” Zhang said. “I had a terrible loss in my first match of the season, and it really broke my confidence a bit . . . but once I started playing like myself and gaining that confidence, it all led up to this moment.”

Wayland also received key performances from Brendan Ip at second singles (6-2, 6-2), Noah Malkin and Andrew Hiebert at first doubles (6-4, 7-5), and Ryan Prince and Brendan O’Rourke at second doubles (6-0, 6-3).

While Wayland’s depth was challenged again Saturday, the team was battle-tested by playing in the Dual County League, the state’s toughest conference. Even after the Warriors lost three of four matches to close the regular season, coach Sean Powers was confident the adversity would prepare them for a successful postseason run.

“We lost some tough ones during the season, but that really built them up and showed the level we’d have to be at,” Powers said. “They were ready to play here today.”

Division 4 State

Weston 5, Lynnfield 0 — After falling in Weston’s lineup from first singles as a freshman to first doubles as a sophomore, junior Max Ding had every reason to pout about his diminished role.

Instead, Ding worked at his game while developing into the team’s unquestioned leader. He was named captain and won in-team challenge matches to reclaim second singles, and after top singles player Noah Gilligan suffered a midseason injury, Ding reasserted himself at the Wildcats’ No. 1 spot.

With Ding serving as the team’s anchor, Weston is yet again state champion.

Behind Ding’s 6-3, 6-2 victory at first singles, top-ranked Weston (17-0) dominated No. 3 Lynnfield (15-2) to capture their sixth-consecutive title. The Wildcats received victories from Zachary Regelman at second singles (6-4, 6-2) and Alex Ko at third singles (8-3 super set), along with Peter Chen and Winston Starrett at first doubles (6-2, 6-3) and Petar Stojanovic and Claus Hinck at second doubles (6-2, 6-2).

“He was ready for the step up, and he did an amazing job again today,” Weston coach George Conlin said of Ding. “Our saying around here is ‘what would Ding do?’ Because he just grinds and wins, and we’re so proud of that.”

While still contributing over the past year from lower spots in the lineup, Ding didn’t take the weight of his top role lightly.

“When I was playing number three or doubles, you don’t really feel that pressure compared to playing number one,” Ding said. “You have to show your whole team that the best player can win on your team. That’s a big responsibility.”

While Weston has dominated for years — this is their second consecutive Division 4 title, with the prior four coming in Division 3 — Conlin’s current team made their mark by beating top teams, including Division 1 semifinalist Wellesley and Division 2 semifinalist Concord-Carlisle, en route to their unbeaten season.