Honesdale boys tennis team is poised for a deep postseason run
· Yahoo Sports
HONESDALE — If you’re searching for a feel-good story on the local spring sports scene here in 2026, look no further than the Honesdale boys tennis team.
Under the direction of rookie head coach Elliot Zackoski, the Hornets are carving out a place for themselves among the area elite so far this spring.
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Captains Lewis Smith, Michael Reiprich and Matthew Christiansen are leading the way as Honesdale has jetted out to a scintillating start in Lackawanna League action.
“We’re very lucky as coaches because this is such a great group of kids,” Zackoski said. “It’s a really well-balanced, well-rounded bunch. They’re working very hard every day, and we’re excited to see what they can do the rest of the season.”
Despite unseasonably cool and windy conditions, the Hornets pushed their league record to 7-1 on April 6 with a convincing victory over Mid Valley.
Weather permitting, Honesdale will be back on the courts Friday afternoon at home versus Delaware Valley. The match is slated for a 4 p.m. start at the Daniel J. O’Neill Sports Complex.
Hornets making a move
Honesdale’s most recent win came on a day more appropriate for football than tennis.
A frigid wind was howling straight out of the north, making the actual air temperature feel more like 20 than the low 40s. Nevertheless, the Hornets came ready to rumble and rolled to a 4-1 win over visiting Mid Valley.
“We showed a lot of heart out there,” Zackoski said. “Both teams played very well despite the cold, but we really displayed heart and grit.”
Smith powered the Red & Black attack, using a big serve and a booming forehand to outlast Mid Valley’s Carson Beck at first singles. The final score was 5-7, 6-3, 10-2.
“Lewis is just tenacious on the court,” Zackoski said. “He’s never afraid to attack the net. Lewis has a really good serve that moves all over the place, and he won’t hesitate to follow it in.”
A returning Lackawanna League all-star who’s also a standout on the Hornet soccer team, Smith is excited about the team’s chances to make a deep playoff run this spring.
“This might be the best team I’ve ever played on in any sport,” he said. “I definitely think we have what it takes to win out in the regular season and make a lot of noise at districts.”
Reiprich wasted no time in taking control of his match at second singles. The tough-as-nails junior barely broke a sweat in posting a straight set (6-1, 6-0) win over Gabe James.
“Michael has the best backhand on the team,” Zackoski said. “He can really frustrate an opponent. Nothing rattles Michael’s cage. He’s very steady and reliable.”
Honesdale sealed the deal against Mid Valley via another lopsided victory courtesy of Jake D’Albora. Just a freshman, D’Albora utterly dominated Mid Valley’s Ethan Johnson at third singles en route to a 6-2, 6-1 triumph,
“Jake has such an amazingly bright future,” Zackoski said. “If he keeps working as hard as he is right now and stays healthy, there’s no telling what he can do.”
On the doubles side of the ledger, the Hornets overwhelmed Mid Valley on their way to a sweep.
Honesdale’s duo of Asher Eck and Matthew Christiansen survived a serious threat from Mid Valley’s Jonathan Henderson before finally prevailing 6-3, 7-6 (7-5).
“We work really well together,” Christiansen said. “I couldn’t be more proud of how Asher and I are doing right now. I think that if we keep playing the way we are then there’s nothing that can stop us.”
At second doubles, the Hornets 1-2 punch of Ryan Chesna and Kadyn Kinney combined to forge a 7-6 (8-6), 6-0 victory over the Spartan pairing of Zach Kalinowski and AJ Schuler.
Eyes on the prize
Honesdale currently holds down third place in the Lackawanna League standings.
The Hornets are 7-1 overall and ranked third among Class AA teams in the District 2 playoff chase. Only undefeated Dallas and Holy Cross are rated higher.
Perennial powerhouse Abington Heights is all alone atop the AAA rankings. The Comets dealt Honesdale its lone loss of the season, a 5-0 shutout back on March 11.
According to D2 officials, this year’s team tournament is set to begin May 1. Individual singles and doubles events are slated for May 7 and 13, respectively.
“We have great chemistry,” Zackoski said. “When our kids play up to their ability, we can compete with anybody. It's going to be exciting at districts”
This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Lackawanna League boys tennis Honesdale Hornets defeat Mid Valley