East Greenwich boys tennis eyes first state championship this spring

SOUTH KINGSTOWN — East Greenwich boys tennis is in line for history.

A state championship victory to end the spring would be a first for the Avengers. And it was built three seasons ago. This current cast of seniors, four are ready to graduate in a month, started as the runner-up in Division II as freshmen.

An undefeated season in that league followed in 2024 and it earned the Avengers a promotion to the state’s top rank. East Greenwich didn’t waste any time proving it belonged with just one loss in the regular season.

The third consecutive trip to Slater Park was only doused by Barrington — last year’s top seed. But it’s East Greenwich that’ll likely enter the playoffs with the target on its back. The Avengers toppled South Kingstown, 5-2, under postcard skies at Broad Rock Middle School on Tuesday, May 12, to remain perfect this year.

“We’ve definitely come a long way,” senior Henry Seeley said. “Been in the finals the last three years and hopefully bringing the Division I championship this year. That would be awesome, it’s definitely a goal of mine.”

East Greenwich is flush with depth at the top of its ladder and throughout the doubles lineup. Barrington's win at No. 3 singles in the championship last year landed the Eagles a 4-3 victory. But EG already knocked off Barrington, with its own 4-3 finish, as Ravi Vishnu's victory at No. 4 singles keyed the title rematch.

“I can’t wait to hopefully take home the title this year,” Tate Coker-Dodman said. “It’s been a great season and beating Barrington this year, we have more confidence than ever.”

Seeley and the team’s No. 1 singles, Coker-Dodman, are in the quarterfinal round of the individual tournament. The Levy brothers, David and Liam, finished second in the doubles tournament two seasons ago. The duo tops EG’s tandems again this spring as they are also in the quarterfinal round of the doubles tournament. And a pair of welcomed freshmen, Andrew Katz and Floyd Kelly, also reached the quarterfinals.

East Greenwich has also never had a doubles team win the state’s individual tournament.

“We have three different doubles teams fighting for the same double spot,” Coker-Dodman said. “And all of them are equally as good. So even though we’re losing four seniors in our varsity line next year, I think we’ll be good even next year.

"A lot of the time with the doubles players, it's really hard to know which team is going to actually play because there's so many combinations between the six guys. We still haven't gotten a definitive three doubles yet."

The depth is how EG has forged this monster season with seven 6-1 victories and a pair of sweeps. The Eagles were the only team that tested them as the Avengers clutched the match when they needed it. Now the individual tournaments, which resume this weekend, and a chance at history in the team championship await East Greenwich.

“We’ve just been practicing every day as great competition [against each other],” Seeley said. “Barrington has definitely been the most challenging for us. But our doubles have been great.”

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: East Greenwich boys tennis final result against SK from May 12