East Hampton’s boys tennis team, though undefeated, has learned a lot over the course of this season, and the 11-0 Bonackers are looking forward to showcasing what they can do in a contest against unbeaten Ward Melville on Thursday, May 5.
Junior Max Astilean might be most eager for the competition. He will play a rematch with senior No. 1 singles standout Aron Bursztyn, who bested him in the quarterfinals of the Suffolk County tournament last year on the way to finishing second to Westhampton Beach’s since-graduated Josh Kaplan.
“It will definitely be a true test to see where we are with our tennis, and it feels great to be playing Aron again,” said Astilean, who added that he’s put a lot of time and work into perfecting his game. “I’ll be able to use everything I’ve learned from Coach and put it to work.”
Astilean said he’s been working closely with head coach Kevin McConville on adding versatility to his game — honing his skills on volleys, shot selection and drop shots.
“Kevin has taught me that power alone can’t win you matches, so we have been working on my variety in order to be able to bring my opponents to the net and finish points faster by rushing the net,” Astilean said. “I’m feeling really great with my game as of now. I’ve made big strides in these last few months to really bring my game to the next level.”
It will also be an important challenge as the junior intensifies his quest to play college tennis.
“It will be a really good measuring stick for him,” McConville said. “He’s been working really, really hard with me in and outside of practice in the hopes of playing college tennis. He’s been preparing big time, and he thinks he’s ready to surprise him.”
Astilean’s young teammates have also grown leaps and bounds as a result of some injuries early in the season, which forced a reshuffling of the lineup.
McConville said while All-County East Hampton sophomore Nick Cooper and Sag Harbor classmate Chris Pilarski — both out since the second match of the season — are both expected to return to face Ward Melville (11-0), their absence presented Ross School transfer Kiefer Mitchell, a freshman, and East Hampton eighth-graders Henry Cooper and Jaeger Cohen with time competing in the top singles slots.
“Those three boys have benefited the most,” McConville said. “They’ve really developed. They’re getting good results and are working really hard.”
Like with Astilean, the coach said he’s been assisting the younger kids — most of them since they first picked up a tennis racket — with diversifying their skill sets.
“They’re mixing it up — they’re coming in and hitting drop shots and bringing people in,” McConville said. “They’re not just sitting at the baseline waiting for people to miss. And they’re all really doing it, too. Even though the eighth-graders are kind of small in stature, they’re still coming to the net and being real aggressive. And it’s more fun for them. They like to play that way.”
And it’s not something typically seen in the game of a student-athlete before his senior year, so the fact that the Bonackers are already strengthening that ability will be big for the future of the team.
“It takes time to have the size, the skill and the guts to get out of your comfort zone and try to win matches by doing things other than hitting forehands or backhands. That’s been the most impressive thing,” McConville said. “They’re going to have an all-court game.”
Mitchell especially has been a “huge surprise,” the coach said. Astilean said his teammate has also impressed him.
“He’s just been outstanding,” he said. “All the newcomers have really earned their spot on the team — they’re all team players and always show up to practice on time ready to put in 100 percent effort. But Kiefer has the best sportsmanship I’ve seen. He always compliments his opponents’ shots and is humble in victory.”
While resurfacing of their home courts was still in progress, the team had to play its first nine contests on the road. Astilean said it was a huge challenge.
“We would usually get to our away games at 4:30 p.m.,” he said. “That gave our opponents an hour and a half to warm up and get ready, while we had five minutes once we get off the bus before we’d start.”
The Bonackers hosted Longwood last Thursday in the first matches on the new courts, and swept their challengers. It was the team’s second straight 7-0 win, and fifth of the season. East Hampton only had one close contest: a 4-3 victory over Comsewogue in the second match of the season on March 30.
“I’m really happy with how we’ve progressed as a whole,” Astilean said. “The whole team made the most of spring break, and I saw a lot of improvement across the board. Our team also showed we can step up when we have to play a challenging team without the help of some of our best players. The guys care about winning, and they have a drive to be the best there is.”
The junior said he thinks a lot of that has to do with McConville’s preparation, whether it’s finding free courts outside of practice or teaching the nuances of the game.
“This success is without a doubt because of Kevin McConville, who gives us so much confidence — we know we have a huge advantage when it comes to coaching and development,” Astilean said. “He puts in so much extra time. … Our coach has done great work preparing the new kids to make us a lethal team as quickly as he did.”
McConville said it’s really due to the competitive drive in each of his students. He said while it was evident on April 28 that everyone was excited for their first home matches, with only three returners on this season’s team, the guys “don’t really need any amping up.”
The Bonackers will be ready and motivated to maintain their perfect season on Thursday, hosting Ward Melville at 5 p.m.
“They’re excited about everything,” McConville said, laughing. “They’re excited to play at home, excited they’re undefeated, excited about the future of the team — it’s a really cool thing. And even without any coaching from me at all the kids are part of a group that loves to compete against each other. They’re all trying so hard to keep their spot — I haven’t had to try to motivate anybody — and that’s been a real joy for me.
“The tennis program is in good hands with these young guys.”
