Schools
Lawson Tennis Team Makes School History
With two teams and 50 athletes, the middle school's tennis program celebrates its first-ever, back-to-back league championships.
By Jeremy Gibbons, Lawson athletic director
The Middle School tennis team began the year with exciting news. For the first time in school history, the tennis program was able to provide two coaches, two teams, two practice facilities and space for 50 student-athletes. Head coach Anthony Carpio practiced at Silicon Valley Tennis Academy in Mountain View with the Lawson team, and I, the other head coach, practiced with the Lightning team at Serra Park in Sunnyvale.
The tennis league is unique to the other 10 teams and sport leagues that Lawson participates in. This league has 16 teams spanning from Almaden Valley to Palo Alto and allows for boys and girls, grades 6-8 to play singles and doubles competitively against each other. The MTP (Mid-Peninsula Tennis Patrons) governs the league and has supported junior tennis for more than 25 years.
The 2010 season ended a high note, with Lawson defeating Jordan Middle School of Palo Alto by a score of 5-4, capping an 11-win, zero-loss season and winning its first tennis championship in the school's six short years. Lawson was on the verge of something great to happen in the 2011 season.
With two teams and 50 athletes, the Lawson tennis program began in full swing the third week of March.
During the seven-match pool play, the Lawson team finished undefeated, while the Lightning team was able to manage two victories.
Every team qualifies for the playoffs, and the Lightning team occupied the 11th seed in the tournament, while the Lawson team claimed the top seed, edging out Fisher Middle School of Los Gatos.
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The playoffs were high intensity, with the Lightning team losing in the second round to the eventual consolation champions from 's North team. The Lawson team, the top seed, took out Graham Middle in the first round, Kennedy Middle South in the second round, Harker Academy in the semi-finals, and then Miller Middle School. That finale game, a 7-2 victory for Lawson, was at in Cupertino on May 25.
This marks the first time in Lawson Middle School history that a team was able to repeat as league champions. The team has set the bar high, as both seasons were unblemished, matching 22 victories to zero losses.
