HHS No. 1 singles player Max Sendele returns a shot during a match earlier in the season. PHOTO/JOHN CARDILLO

The Hopkinton High School boys tennis team put together a string of 21 straight victories before the run came to an end Monday in the Division 2 state semifinals with a 3-1 loss to Duxbury.

“They are good, really good,” Hillers coach Mike Miller said of the fourth-seeded Dragons (19-3) following the loss. “We have run into them before and we have been in this position before. We feel like we are knocking on the door to try to get to the next step but have not been able to do it.”

Miller said his team felt confident going into the semifinal match, which was played at Bridgewater-Raynham High School. Top-seeded Hopkinton’s second doubles tandem of junior Chavdar Kamenerov and sophomore Owen Gormley picked up the team’s lone point. Sophomore Joe Krattenmaker, who posted an undefeated record throughout the season, had a lead on his opponent when the rain came, and it was decided, with the overall outcome already determined, that the match would not conclude.

Still, Krattenmaker put together an incredible campaign, with Miller half-joking in saying that he may have set the program record for the most matches won with clean sweeps.

“He had some of the quickest matches through the entire year, and he went undefeated all the way through,” Miller said. “You always knew, when you heard some balls being smacked around hard, that it was him.”

Krattenmaker moved to second singles this year because Hopkinton added German exchange student Max Sendele. Miller said Sendele emailed him about a year ago, asking about the tennis program.

“We had a lot of good players coming back, but having someone come in like Max who was as good as he was and took the No. 1 spot, that slides everyone else down,” Miller said. “That only made us that much stronger.”

Hopkinton’s run to the state semifinals also was driven by some talented seniors. Co-captain Ilian Glace held his own at the No. 3 singles position. Co-captain Rishit Shekhar and Kais Guessab were the primary duo at first singles. The older players were a huge part of the team’s success this spring.

“I am so proud of the way they played, especially the seniors,” Miller said. “We had great senior leadership, and these guys bring it to practice every day. We throw as much as we can at them, and they eat it up and say, ‘Give me more.’ ’’

Each practice typically consisted of 90 minutes of on-court work and then another half hour of working out. Miller acknowledged that it sounds cliche to say, but as good as his athletes are at tennis, they are even better people.

“The see each other as training partners,” Miller said. “The most fun I have is watching them battle day in and day out, and seeing them get as good as they can be.”

Track stars shine

At the Meet of Champions on Sunday, Hopkinton track and field athletes continued to record stellar performances. Logan Sullivan tied for second in the state in the high jump, clearing 6 feet, 4 inches, which was 2 inches out of first place. Harry Millar was sixth in the 110 hurdles in 14.53 seconds, which was less than a half-second from first.

Softball plays Wednesday

The last remaining Hopkinton team in the state tournament is softball. The second-seeded Hillers play third-seeded Bedford on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Worcester State University.