WALPOLE – Just like fellow coaches who set goals before each season’s start, Drew Lawrence had a vision for what the Rockets could accomplish this spring.
He understood the talent and experience at his disposal, assessed his options for courts one through five and formulated a plan. He sought a top-eight seed for the state tournament, and believed his team had the means to earn it.
Lawrence didn’t have a crystal ball. The seasoned coach possessed no sort of sorcery to foresee the future ahead.
But his players now stand at the very precipice of achieving his aspiration.
Needham boys tennis (13-4) waxed Walpole (12-5) on Monday evening, courtesy of a 5-0 sweep at Walpole High School. The group surrendered no sets in their previous meeting back in early April and allowed no more than one in the rematch.
Entering this week at No. 9 in the latest MIAA Division I power rankings, and with only two matches remaining in their regular-season slate, a decisive victory was paramount.
“Getting the eight seed would be wonderful,” Lawrence said. “And then at that point, the goal becomes ‘beat the seed.’ In other words, outdo what it expects you to do. I don’t want to just live up to the seed, I want to beat the seed.”
To maximize their chances of ideal postseason positioning, his crew would have to conquer a mirror image of themselves.
Both the Rockets and Timberwolves ranked ninth in their respective divisions entering Monday. Both owned a .750 winning percentage. Both had won six of their seven preceding outings.
The on-court product, though, told a different story than on-paper similarities.
Needham bolted out to 6-1 first sets in all three singles contests, either by putting returns out of reach for Walpole’s best or letting them rack up unforced errors. Senior Jack Wexler was the first to convert on his early advantage with a 6-1, 6-0 decision over Brady Goldman at second singles.
The veteran – one of six upperclassmen in the lineup – was followed suit by a third-singles thumping from junior Ben Svetlov, defeating Dillon Blaquiere in a 6-1, 6-3 performance.
“There’s not a huge gap in-between them in terms of ability, and that means as we go down that ladder, we’re stronger in position compared to other teams,” Lawrence said. “Having a 1-2-3 trio as strong as these guys is great.”
Trouble crept up on the most vaunted member of that group.
Freshman Elliot Gettman hadn’t allowed a singular game to Stephen Jung last time they clashed over a month ago. But he fell behind 4-1 in his second frame Monday, beckoning to his coaches for advice with a firm grip quickly loosening.
In no way, shape or form would the team outcome depend on him. It had already been decided by junior Andrew Bass and senior Jake MacNeil in straight sets at second doubles.
But the newcomer – active year-round on the USTA circuit – has a higher competitive standard than most. The shrinking lead got to his head.
“I felt like I was playing super tight, and I didn’t really know what my strategy was going to be,” Gettman said. “So the coaches were telling me (to) just play my game, and they were also saying (to) go to his backhand because he was hitting a bit more errors on that side.”
Even some seniors with years of matches under their belts fail to assemble the kind of response that came next.
Gettman won every game the rest of the way, claiming a 6-1, 6-4 result at the top court and once again keeping Walpole off the scoreboard.
“He gets down on himself more than he should because he’s a pretty darn good player,” Lawrence said. “He’s very good, he’s very young and needs to realize that he can probably outlast just by being steady.”
Seniors Oliver Pollack and Jake Goldfine brought out the brooms. The first doubles tandem bounced back in a big way from a rough opening frame, ultimately emerging victorious at 4-6, 6-1, 6-0.
With the highest-possible point differential secured against one of Division II’s finest, Needham had done exactly what it needed to do Monday in the interest of its goal.
A top-eight seed is within view – the light at the end of this regular-season tunnel. And the notion of it is one that trickled down from Lawrence to his players weeks ago.
“Definitely in the group chats, a lot of (rankings) screenshots,” Gettman said. “I really want to get that top eight (seed).”
They only helped their case.
