Massachusetts Junior Paddle Featured 12 and Unders and 18 and Unders

December 6, 2018
Dedham, MA
by Evan Ambrose

The 2018 Massachusetts Junior Paddle Championships featured 18 players in the 12 & Under and 18 & Under divisions. The event was held at Dedham Country & Polo Club on Saturday, December 1. The weather was clear and cool. It was great conditions for all the spectators who gathered on the deck to cheer on the kids. Early round play began at noon.

12 & Unders
Players in the 12 & Under division competed in three matches in a round robin. Finn Leary (DCPC) and Oliver Atwood (DCPC) went undefeated in their half of the draw to make the finals. Alex Boardman (Myopia Hunt) and Bradford Kimball (The Country Club) went 2-1 to secure the other spot in the finals. Boardman and Kimball won two hard-fought sets to claim the title.

18 & Unders
Players in the 18 & Under division competed in four matches in a round robin. Tommy Whitlock (DCPC) and Brewster Pierce (Duxbury Yacht Club) swept their half of the draw. The finalists from the other half were Piper Evans (DCPC) and Addie Atwood (DCPC), who went 3-1 to punch their ticket to the championship match. What a final it was! Whitlock fought valiantly through an injury, and still covered an amazing amount of the court, while Pierce ripped unbelievable forehands. It came down to the third set tie-breaker. Evans and Atwood were steady from the backcourt and solid from the net, winning the breaker 9-7 to become the champions.

Congratulations to all the players for terrific performances and great sportsmanship throughout the tournament. [The APTA would like to thank Tournament Director Evan Ambrose and all the pros and volunteers at this event.]

Next Up
For the junior stars of the greater Boston area, next up is the North Shore Open – Level 1 on January 5 at Myopia Hunt Club and other clubs in the area. Contact Scott Slobin for more information at sslobin@myopiahc.org.

The 2019 Massachusetts Junior Paddle Championships is scheduled for Saturday, November 23, 2019.