The Salisbury boys tennis team opened the 2026 season a few weeks ago and already has three matches completed heading into this week.

The Falcons are 0-3 with a pair of shutout losses and a 3-2 setback against Jim Thorpe.

Salisbury started the season with a 5-0 nonleague loss to Kutztown on March 13.

Their next match was last Tuesday, March 17, against Jim Thorpe, one of two teams Salisbury beat in going 2-9 last season.

The Falcons got a win from Christian Marinos at No. 1 singles and a forfeit win from Daniel Hontz, while the Olympians took the other three matches.

Salisbury lost 5-0 to Notre Dame (Green Pond) Saturday.

This year’s Falcon varsity tennis team, under first-year head coach Rachel Lagath, has several returning players from last year’s team, which had just one senior.

Marinos, a senior, returns to the top of the singles line up, with Garrett Kloosterman back in the No. 2 singles spot.

Seniors Hontz, Christian Olesak and Cole Muth are all in the mix to play the No. 3 singles position or could be part of a doubles team. Muth and Olesak were part of last year’s team, while Hontz is new to the team, along with classmate Jordan Tocci.

Five freshmen will also contribute. Kai Kloosterman, Harrison Stopper and Soren Ruiz will usually be in the doubles line up. Newcomers to the game Mahmud and Winston Perez could also see time in matches.

Legath, who is pleased with the senior leadership of veterans Marinos and Garrett Kloosterman, is coming off her first season as the Falcon girls tennis coach in fall and was a varsity field hockey head coach at Salisbury early in her career.

“The boys all get along and support one another,” she said. “As with any new coach and players, there are some things to iron out. The boys have been receptive.

“The new players are excited to be on the team and learn a new sport. For them, the focus is on fundamentals.”

She also expressed hope that Marinos can earn a place in the district singles tournament to cap his four-year career in Salisbury’s varsity line up.