2009 Eagle-Tribune All-Star Boys Tennis Team
NameSchoolYear
Singles
Bjorn MerinderAndoverJr.
Jason PacinoNorth ReadingSr.
Thomas AlaimoCentral CatholicSoph.
Sam EatonPinkertonJr.
*Alex BurbineLondonderrySoph.
Doubles
Nitin MaheshAndoverJr.
Shane HugginsAndoverJr.
Dan KishPinkertonJr.
Mike SoltysPinkertonJr.
* Eagle-Tribune MVP
Honorable Mention
Andover — Eric Heath, Sr.; Jeff Birenbaum, Jr.
Brooks — Max Lindauer, Soph.
Central Catholic — Joe Zucchi, Sr.; Chris Katsoulis, Sr.
Greater Lawrence — Christian Cano, Sr.
Haverhill — Fabian Schramm, Sr.; Ramie Jacobson, Sr.; Lennart Kuhrt, Jr.
Lawrence — Marieni Cornelio, Sr.
Londonderry — Tyler Palmieri, Sr.
Methuen — John Erickson, Jr.; Joe Perrone, Frosh.
North Andover — Alan Nguyen, Sr; Peter O'Neill, Sr.; Alex Shumway, Jr.
North Reading — Ray Zolman, Jr.
Pelham — Brad Shapiro, Sr.; Matt Smith, Frosh.; Jared Taylor, Frosh.
Pentucket — Ryan Swanson, Soph.
Pinkerton — Mark Mangini, Sr.
Salem — Joel Vastl, Sr.; Chris Correia, Sr.
Sanborn — Sean Santos, Sr.
Timberlane — Alex Mill, Sr.; Doug Robichaud, Jr.
Bjorn Merinder, Andover Junior, Singles
Repeat Eagle-Tribune All-Star. MVC co-MVP. Went 12-2 overall in first singles. Reached North Open quarterfinals. Co-captain this year, co-captain elect next year. Went 14-4 overall and 12-0 in MVC last year. Recently was ranked as high as eighth in New England USTA (U16). His two older sisters Jen (track, volleyball) and Meagan (volleyball) were Eagle-Tribune All-Stars.
Jason Pacino, North Reading Senior, Singles
CAL MVP. 16-0 in regular season at first singles. Has played first singles for the past three seasons. Only singles player to go undefeated in North Reading school history, according to coach Mark Bisognano. Said Bisognano, "It's a big thing to have a guaranteed point going into every match." Hopes to play at Roger Williams next year. His brother, Matt, plays at Stonehill.
Thomas Alaimo, Central Catholic Sophomore, Singles
All-MVC selection. 11-6 overall (9-5 MVC, 2-1 postseason) in first singles. Plays USTA and was ranked 34th in New England U16. Pushed Andover's Bjorn Merinder to three sets (6-3, 4-6, 3-6). Split matches with Chelmsford star Alex Mihalca. Student ambassador and member of Marist Youth. Lives in Andover. Goes by the nickname T. His sister, Emily, was former Central trackster.
Sam Eaton, Pinkerton Junior, Singles
Went 11-3 overall including a stellar 3-0 in postseason play out of second singles. Co-captain. Rebounded well after missing first three matches of the season with a broken arm. Defeated Londonderry's No. 2 Tyler Palmieri. Defeated previously-unbeaten Tucker Plimpton, 8-4, in Class L team championship setback to Exeter. Ranked in top 10 overall in class of 886.
Nitin Mahesh and Shane Huggins, Andover Doubles
Posted 9-1 regular season mark (5-1 MVC) and perfect 3-0 in tournament play out of first doubles. All-MVC selections. Undefeated in regular season at second doubles last year. Huggins won school's George Washington Award and is in top 15 percent in class. Mahesh has been playing tennis since the age of 4. Sister, Megan, was a former Andover tennis standout, as well.
Dan Kish and Mike Soltys, Pinkerton Doubles
Brilliant in clutch. Defeated Londonderry and Bishop Guertin in game-deciding matches to key 5-4 victories. Beat Exeter's No. 1 duo in Class L team title match. Went 11-2 in regular season and 2-0 in postseason. The much-improved Soltys rarely played last year. He registered 10 wins in singles. Kish, who was Eagle-Tribune MVP in golf, was 10-3 in singles play. Both are only juniors.
Brilliant Burbine still getting better
Londonderry sophomore Alex Burbine followed up his 12-2 freshman campaign by going 14-0 in the regular season and 3-0 in the Class L playoffs. His only loss came in the state open final to Con-Val's Conor Hyde.
Also an accomplished doubles player, he and Tyler Palmieri had an unblemished 14-0 regular-season record.
"It's not so much what I expect of him but what he expects of himself," said coach Bill Knee. "He really wants to reach the goal he set for himself as a freshman, which is to be crowned state champion. His real pie in the sky is he's enamored with idea of being part of a team that actually captures what he calls the 'triple crown' — him winning both singles and doubles titles, and the team winning it all."
Before long, Burbine may just accomplish that feat.
Burbine was introduced to the sport by his father, who had taken up tennis in college and excelled in numerous open tournaments in the Seacoast area.
"I was doing tennis activities as soon as I could walk, and he put a racket in my hand when I was 3," said Burbine, who to this day hits two-handed from both sides because he used an adult racket from the start.
Former Eagle-Tribune MVPs
2008 — Alex Skinner, Brooks; 2007 — Jeff Beaton, Pentucket; 2006 — Jeff Beaton, Pentucket; 2005 — Michael Li, Andover/Phillips; 2004 — Jason Sechrist, Central; 2003 — Jason Sechrist, Central; 2002 — Jason Sechrist, Central; 2001 — Ty Esler, North Andover; 2000 — Justin Slattery, Central; 1999 — Justin Slattery, Central; 1998 — Dave Nelson, North Andover; 1997 — Dave Nelson, North Andover; 1996 — Mike Stein, Andover; 1995 — David Morse, Timberlane; 1994 — Dan Queen, Andover; 1993 — Eric Block, Andover; 1992 — Paul Bernardin, Andover; 1991 — Chris Chiang, Andover; 1990 — Ian Hastings, Londonderry
