Sharon Ends Hingham Tennis Bid for a Second Straight Championship

Sharon ended Hingham’s bid for a second straight state Division 2 tennis title with a 4-1 South Sectional finals win Saturday.

Tuesday’s state final at Lexington High School will feature the top South and North seeds, Sharon and Winchester.

Hingham was seeded second in the South after an 18-1 regular season.

None of the seniors on the Harbormen’s roster played Saturday, “and I have a really good freshman coming up, too,” head coach Ron Bartels said.

“We’ll be right here again in the hunt. I think we can at least get to the South Sectional finals next year,“ he said.

“These kids are hungry. They’re going to work all summer and all winter.

“I think the biggest factor was Sharon played at the top of their game. Their third singles player played the best I’ve ever seen him play. First singles was really tight, and the first doubles team is the best I’ve seen all year.”

The Eagles gained early momentum when first doubles became the first match to end.

Sharon junior Eric Bloom and sophomore Jake Steinberg defeated Hingham sophomore John Alessi and freshman Sam Krumholtz, 6-0, 6-1.

Sharon then swept Hingham in singles.

In first singles, Sharon junior Vivek Nangia defeated Hingham sophomore Woody Roman, 6-2, 6-3.

In second singles, Sharon senior co-captain Brad Malenich defeated Hingham junior Rohan Rau, 1-6, 6-0, 6-2.

In third singles, Sharon junior Aditya Puttigampala defeated Hingham junior Josh Port, 6-4, 6-2.

Bartels said Port normally plays first doubles. However, the Harbormen lost third-singles Will Donovan last week due to “some trouble at the school,” and “that definitely affected the lineup,” Bartels said.

Hingham won second doubles. Junior Matt Port and freshman Reese Linton defeated Sharon seniors Kevin Lee and Dan Elfman, 6-2, 6-4.

The teams played indoors at the Scituate Racquet and Fitness Club due to the rain. Norwell High School was scheduled to host the match.

“I think being indoors is a slight disadvantage to our team,” Bartels said.

“We work hard playing outdoors, working with the wind, the lobs. We work hard on slicing, and a real variety-type game. Indoors is more of a power game, and I think it suited Sharon slightly more.”