By Nicholas Brown
Staff Writer

Neighborhood News/Sapna Pathak Pembroke senior Jon Mehegan is undefeated in doubles with partner Jake Parris. Mehegan earned himself the No. 3 seed this season after competing in the sixth slot in 2005.

The boys of Pembroke Academy tennis are off to the best start in the team’s history, and they say they’re just getting started.

Through Monday, May 1, the Spartans were 6-1, beating some of Class I’s best along the way.

“I’ve been here 11 years and we’ve never started off this strong,” said Spartans head coach David Doherty. “Our best season record has been 7-7, so we’re on pace for something different this season.”

Despite the impressive record, Doherty said there have been some tough challenges thus far.

Beating Bow, 5-4, to kick off the season was one of the highlights for the coach.

After splitting the singles matches, 3-3, doubles decided matters. The No. 3 match saw Dan Bouchard and Jake Plourde win, 8-6.

“It was the most exciting thing,” said senior co-captain David Andrews. “All the other matches were over, so everyone was watching this one and cheering for every point. Bow beat us twice last year, so it felt so awesome to beat them.”

Bow wasn’t the only team whose past success over PA fueled the Spartans this time around. Losses in ’05 to Coe- Brown, Stevens and St. Thomas Aquinas last season were avenged this year.

Senior co-captain Jake Parris attributed the turnabout to PA’s work ethic. Parris, who did not play regularly last season and is now undefeated as the No. 4 seed, said the team’s patience has increased.

“We don’t have the best skills out there,” said Parris. “We’re not going to out-skill some Class I teams, but we work hard. We’re not trying to just win the match so quickly, we’re taking our time and waiting for it.”

This year, Doherty has moved some of last year’s players into new spots and added two players to round out the top six.

Sophomore Bob Thomas, the No. 3 seed in 2005, is undefeated in No. 1 singles matches.

Andrews plays as the second seed after moving from No. 4, while senior Jon Mehegan stepped into the third slot after spending last year as the sixth seed.

Sophomore Bouchard comes in as Doherty’s fifth seed, along with Plourde at No. 6. Neither Bouchard nor Plourde played regularly last year.

In doubles action, the combos of Thomas-Andrews and Mehegan-Parris remain undefeated as first and second doubles seeds, respectively.

Despite a history of first-round playoff exits, Doherty is confident about his team’s playoff chances this season.

Parris and Andrews were quick to comment on the squad’s newfound respect from other clubs.

“I think they’re looking at the record now,” said Andrews. “If we can scare anyone, that’s great. At least someone’s thinking of us as a threat, which has never been the case.”