After missing last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the athletes on the Guilford boys’ tennis team were excited to hit the court for the 2021 season—and do so with a new head coach.

Paul Malafronte took over as head coach of the Grizzlies this year after having served as a volunteer assistant for the past four seasons. After losing seven of its their first 11 matches, the Grizzlies have bounced back by winning four-consecutive contests to improve to 8-7, including wins against Shelton (7-0), North Haven (6-1), and Fairfield Prep (4-3) last week.

“It’s been kind of a different year so far. With COVID, things were obviously a lot different, and there were a lot of restrictions in place,” Coach Malafronte said. “Coming into the season, I showed up on the first day, and I only knew five kids. With the year off, we had a lot of seniors who graduated, and there was a lot of turnover.”

Guilford is being led on the court by senior co-captains Ethan DeAngelo and Ronan McDermott this year. DeAngelo has a team-best total of 11 wins while playing No. 3 singles for the Grizzlies. McDermott has five victories to his credit while competing out of the No. 4 spot in Guilford’s singles lineup.

“They kind of have different roles. Ethan has been our most consistent player all year. He comes out and works hard every day,” said Malafronte. “For me, a big part of high school tennis is taking an individual sport and turning it into a team sport. We talk about being a team inside and outside the fence. Both Ronan and Ethan have helped grow the team as a whole with their leadership ability.”

Guilford improved its record to 8-7 by winning all three of its matchups last week. The Grizzlies started off the slate by posting a 7-0 victory at Shelton on May 10. Junior Walker Mulligan claimed a 6-0, 6-0 win at No. 1 singles for Guilford. Junior Dominic Dadak won a 6-0, 6-4 decision at No. 2 singles, and DeAngelo was a 6-4, 6-1 victor in the No. 3 singles match. Guilford also won by default at No. 4 singles as a result of a Shelton forfeit.

In the doubles court, Guilford’s No. 1 team of junior Ben Kellner and sophomore Patrick Zhang recorded a 6-2, 6-4 win. The No. 2 duo of junior Nick Meeks and sophomore Max Banning won their contest by a 6-1, 6-2 score, while the No. 3 team of sophomores Aryan Patel and Sean Johnson notched a 6-3, 6-1 victory to help the Grizzlies complete the sweep.

“I thought we played very well against Shelton. For every single one of our guys to earn straight-set wins is impressive, and I was very happy with our performance,” Coach Malafronte said. “Patrick and Max are part of the core of our doubles program. They are only sophomores, so I’m excited to see how they progress.”

Two days later, Guilford hosted North Haven and earned a 6-1 victory. Mulligan posted a 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 1 singles; DeAngelo came out on top by a 6-0, 6-1 score at No. 2 singles; Kellner played No. 3 singles and claimed a 6-4, 6-1 win; and junior Luke Robbins netted 6-0, 6-0 shutout in the No. 4 singles contest.

Zhang and Meeks teamed up to play No. 1 doubles and won their matchup by a 6-2, 6-2 final. Banning and Johnson joined forces at No. 2 doubles and earned a 6-0, 6-0 victory.

To finish up the week, Guilford traveled to Fairfield University for a match against Fairfield Prep. The Grizzlies avenged their loss to Prep from earlier in the season by recording a 4-3 victory against the Jesuits in the rematch.

Guilford swept singles play on its way to defeating Fairfield Prep. Mulligan won a 6-2, 6-2 decision at No. 1 singles; Dadak notched a 7-6, 7-5 win at No. 2; DeAngelo claimed a 6-1, 6-3 victory at No. 3; and McDermott rallied for a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 win in the No. 4 singles match. McDermott’s victory ultimately proved the difference in the outcome and help Coach Malafronte’s club get the nod.

“We thrive off of the love and committed family bond of the Guilford tennis family,” said Malafronte. “They truly support each other inside and outside the fence and have grown into a cohesive family through the year.”

The Grizzlies have one more regular-season match before they open the postseason by competing in the SCC Tournament. With his team finding its stride, Coach Malafronte is eager to see what Guilford can achieve in the playoffs.

“It’s all about the positive motivation for these kids. Everybody should play the same way and with the same level of passion. We need to stay committed to each other, and I believe good things will come,” Malafronte said. “It’s been a challenge this season. I’m asking these guys to do a lot they haven’t done in the past, but they are all answering the call.”

Guilford’s roster for the 2021 season also includes senior Samuel Gunderson and junior Jay Patel. The Grizzlies also have three freshmen on their young club in Alex Milano, Evan Stein, and Avyay Yarlagadda.

“We have a very young team,” said Coach Malafronte. “I’m excited to see how these kids develop, and I’m looking forward to coaching them in the years to come.”