Tennis Anyone? Yes at New London High

At , when you mention the words singles, doubles and Grand Slam, baseball comes to mind. Net, backcourt, lobs and baseline? Basketball. Receiver? Football.

New London athletics boasts a 40-year tradition of area dominance and state championships in the “Big Three” or “Major Sports” of football, basketball and baseball. Other sports such as soccer, volleyball, lacrosse, tennis, gymnastics or golf are viewed as minor or don’t exist at all.

For many years, those were the sports the Whalers hung their hats on - the big three. That is starting to change.Tennis anyone? Translated at New London, the question could have been changed to “Can anyone play tennis?”

But now in Whaler land, service receivers, nets, baselines, backcourt, singles, doubles and grand slams are taking on their traditional meaning as tennis terms. Just removed from two straight winless seasons in 2008 and 2009, New London fields a winning boys’ tennis team with a 7-6 overall and 6-2 ECC Medium record. A 5-2 win over Bacon Academy May 21 clinched the program's first state tournament berth.

The nucleus of six seniors and four juniors never touched a racquet until entering NLHS, which usually spells doom for a tennis squad. But this year, the Whalers are knocking off the likes of Bacon Academy, Griswold, Ledyard and Killingly, whose players boast years of experience.

“This group never played tennis but once they got out there, they’ve become passionate players,” coach Tom Poblete said. “Part of the attraction is once the kids get out on the court, they realize how fun tennis and how valuable it is to learn a lifetime sport. You can’t play football when you’re 38.”

New London’s major sport heritage touches the tennis program. Poblete was a Whaler All-State basketball guard in 2000. He didn’t play tennis in high school, but hooked on as a tennis assistant coach after become in NLHS teacher in 2005.

New London ’s No. 1 singles player, Mark Escobido, was a starting football lineman. Center-tennis player? Quite a combination. When you have you seen a 250-pound kid crushing serves on the court?

“Mark has a big serve and solid ground strokes,” Poblete said. “He fell in love the game and taught our No. 2 player, Carlos Leon, how to play. He’s a great leader. He, Eddie and a few others stay after our practice to play on a court during the girls' practice."

As a New London teacher, Poblete has combed the hallways at both NLHS and the to recruit potential players to fill out the four singles and three doubles slots.

"You'd be surprised at where you can find players," Poblete said. "There are kids who might not be tall enough or fast enough to make our great basketball or football teams but have athletic ability. I ask them, 'Why not give tennis a try?' It's a fun, laid-back sport. For some, it's a turn-on that there is not as much pressure as other sports."

The establishment of the Science and Technology Magnet School has increased New London 's student enrollment, adding more students from suburban towns where more youth tennis programs exist

"Our roster is a 50-50 split between magnet students and New London residents," Poblete said. "It's a culturally diverse team. There's a mix of African-Americans, Caucasians, Peruvians and Puerto Ricans. They're all on board, having fun and working on their games. It's great that they've developed to the point where they can finally taste victory."

Escobido can say the same after being overwhelmed against No. 1 competition in previous seasons. The 250-pounder took lessons as a fourth-grader and played sparingly before high school, making him an underdog against nearly every top player with several years of racquet club experience.

He recalls the team taking its lumps in rapid fashion. In a 7-0 loss to Waterford two years ago, the lancers finished off  the Whalers with such ease, they conducted a practice after the match.

'‘It’s awesome now that we’re progressing, getting better and better to the point where we have a chance to compete,’ Escobido said. "‘We were low on the sports’ totem pole at New London but this year early in the season we actually had the best record of any spring sport."

Escobido uses his power in his initial serve, favoring quick ends to points rather than a serve and volley approach.

"’I  try be aggressive and powerful, not too tricky, and stay consistent," Escobido said. "I have a decent first serve. When it's accurate, the powerful first serve helps my whole game."

The Whalers have taken different routes to victory with singles and doubles players all chipping in. In a 6-1 win over Griswold, New London High swept the three doubles matches, all in three sets.The No. 2 team of Kyle Russell-Jordan Coons and the No. 3 team of James Adamowicz-Gavin Johnson each lost the first set before rallying for wins while the No. 1 team of Mark Brusca-Nate DiFrancesca won 6-4, 3-6, 6-0. The Whalers also won three singles matches, including a three-set win by Carlos Leon at No. 2 singles.

New London won three singles matches in a 4-3 win over Bacon as Leon, No. 3 Zach Peterson and No. 4 Romer Ocha all won. In the 6-1 win over Montville Thursday, Escobido took the only loss at No. 1, falling barely in a three-set tie-breaker.

"I've won a couple of matches, which is a new experience for me against the best players," Escobido said. "The team's success, however, is much more satisfying than anything I do individually."