The Duxbury boys’ tennis team will be relying on experience at the top of the lineup, as it tries to improve on its sectional final run of last season. After that surprising tournament showing, the 2010 season is full of high expectations, and returning starters in all three singles positions should mean trouble for Dragon opponents.

Leading the way will be junior captain Brayden Minahan, who will take on every team’s top player at No. 1 Coming off an All-Scholastic season in 2009, Minahan will have his hands full, as he takes on the elite players in of southeastern Massachusetts.  Minahan’s strength is his ability to use sharp ground strokes to open up forward approaches. 

“We are lucky to have a player of Brayden’s ability in the No. 1 spot,” said Coach John Bunar. “And it’s great to also have a leader of his caliber in that spot.”

Sophomore Peter Muncey, who could be the No. 1 player for many high school teams, returns to man the No. 2 singles position. He’ll no longer be able to sneak up on opponents, as the word is out on how strong the Dragons’ No. 2 player is. After a busy winter honing his skills, it looks like Muncey has the ability to wear down nearly any No. 2 singles player in the state with his athletic all-court play and tenacity. 

“Pete came out of the blue last year and has really made a difference in the competitiveness of our program. I don’t think we would have anywhere near the goals we do without him in the No. 2 hole,” said Bunar.

A known luxury of coaching the Dragon tennis team is the expectation of skilled freshmen joining the ranks each season. This year is no exception, as Dan Coakley and William Kingsbury have shown they have refined skills. Kingsbury’s smooth power and Coakley’s quickness may very well be a factor this season.   

If there are to be any challenges for the Dragons, it could come from perennial Patriot League power, Hingham, and non-league opponent, Cape Cod Academy. The runner-up in last year’s Division III state finals returns most of its immensely talented team from 2009 and promises to provide a tough opener for Duxbury.

The No. 3 singles slot presents an interesting challenge for Bunar.

“I have to balance the skill in the three-hole with the need to get two cohesive and aggressive doubles teams on the card,” said the Duxbury coach.

“Even with plenty of talent there, the difficulty for me will be to put together the lineup with the best chance of success against the elite teams in the state.”

After a successful campaign at No. 3 last year, sophomore Connor O’Keefe looks to be the leading candidate for the position. O’Keefe will once again be relied upon to use his all-court consistency to put a point in the book for the Dragons.

“Connor does a good job of executing every shot and players like that are tough to beat at No. 3 singles,” said Bunar.

Both doubles slots have not yet been decided, but it is not for lack of talent.

“We have more speed, size and power in doubles than we have had in a long time,” says the Duxbury coach. “We’ll be playing serve and volley tennis on both swings because of how athletic we are.”

Senior captains Steve Day and Peter Tenaglia join juniors Ben Startzel and Alex Holopainen, as well as the freshmen duo of Kingsbury and Coakley in the competition for the doubles positions.   

“We are not sure of just how the doubles teams are going to shake out, but we’ll be relying on the intra-squad scrimmaging to put the opening day lineup together,” said Bunar. 

Bunar’s deep bench includes the big serving ability of senior Mike LaTorre and sophomore Erik Schneider, while returning veterans senior Andrew Pierce, junior Pat Mahoney, junior Dan Fiset, and sophomore Dale Day should also seem some playing time.