OREFIELD - Progress can have a number of different meanings in sports.

For some it could be measured in victories, while for others it could simply be growth and development over the course of a season.After yesterday's first two rounds of the District 11 Class AA boys doubles tennis tournament, it is fair to say that the three teams from the TIMES NEWS area have all made great strides this year, regardless of their results.Lehighton's tandem of Josh Knappenberger and Tegan Durishin started the day with a bang, earning an impressive 6-2, 7-6 (7-2) first round win over Notre Dame East Stroudsburg's Jan Carlo Perez and Brant Weirich."In the first set, we just didn't make a lot of mistakes and tried to get the feel of it," said Durishin. "In the second set, they got up on us right away and we knew that we needed to win because we didn't want to go to the third set tiebreaker."Winning that critical second set in come-from-behind fashion after being down 4-1 gave the unseeded duo, playing together for the first time this season, confidence heading into round two."We felt pretty good, especially since we were able to beat (Notre Dame) Eastburg's best team on our first play together," Durishin said.Durishin and Knappenberger ran into No. 2 seed Francesco and Gio Mowery in the second round, a task that proved to be too much to handle for the Lehighton sophomores, as the Notre Dame Green Pond pair earned a convincing 6-1, 6-1 victory to advance to today's quarterfinals at Saucon Valley High School."Their serves and their overhead shots were really strong," Knappenberger said of facing the Mowerys. "We just weren't able to do anything with them."Despite the setback, the Lehighton program certainly has a lot to look forward to with several key players returning next season, something that coach Dave Sherry is looking forward to."I think we're going to have a nice season next year. I'm definitely hoping to be over .500," he said. "If we can get them to come out and play over the summer, we should really do well."While Lehighon was able to return home with a victory from the tournament, the teams from Palmerton and Jim Thorpe were not as fortunate.The Bombers' Rich Roselli and Seth Andress suffered a first round loss to Palisades' Nate Newborg and Miguel Abalos, 6-1, 6-1.Entering with limited experience playing together, the two were satisfied with their play but were quick to point out areas they can improve if they return next season."If we're going to play doubles I think we just have to work more as a team," Andress said. "But I'm happy with how we played today overall."His playing partner echoed that sentiment."Considering that we've only been working together for a short period of time, I think we both played pretty well together for the small amount of time we had to prepare," Roselli said.Like Lehighton's Durishin and Knappenberger, Roselli (Jr.) and Andress (So.) will both have the opportunity to learn from their experience and improve next year, a prospect that has Palmerton coach Alex Knoll eager to see what happens."I think they're both going to develop as players next year and I hope to see them get a higher seed here and we'll go from there," the coach said.Jim Thorpe's duo of Brett Luciana and Austin Faylor dropped their opening match 6-0, 6-2 to Salisbury's John Yurconic and Ben Heydt."They just made shots and kept he ball in," said Luciana. "That's why they're the No. 3 seed."While the match was Faylor's last as an Olympian, the senior had high praise for his partner and lofty expectations for what the team can accomplish next season."I really think he has a lot of potential," Faylor said of Luciana. "And I really think the team can qualify for districts since they will only be losing two seniors."After replacing almost an entire roster this year, Jim Thorpe coach Norb Lienhard is looking forward to having some continuity with his team heading into next season."I'm really looking forward to next year," he said. "If they continue to play over the summer, I think we're going to have a very competitive team."Getting experience at one of the biggest tournaments of the year certainly won't hurt either."It gave them a feel of the atmosphere and the chance to see a lot of good tennis and just know what it's all about," Lienhard said. "The more you can play, the better and there's no doubt this will help us next year."