Improved Talent, Depth Could Help Westhampton Boys Tennis Team Make Another Strong Playoff Push

Major game improvements and roster depth should take the Westhampton Beach boys tennis team far this season.

“We have a strong core group of players returning that have a lot of experience on varsity,” head coach Matt Reed said. “We also have five new players this season, and a good percentage of them will be contributing to the team right away. I’m confident that we will be very competitive with the group we have this season.”

Back to the Hurricanes are seniors Sandro Imundi, Matt Moran and Giancarlo Volpe, who, with last year’s graduate Bobby Stabile, finished fourth in the Suffolk County doubles tournament after claiming their second straight Division IV championship title.

“Giancarlo, who is the most talented player on the team and will probably see a little bit of both singles and doubles, is just a great kid,” Reed said. “He has the talent and upside of any player I’ve coached, and I look forward to seeing what he can do his senior year.”

Volpe said he used the offseason to grow in the way he presents himself out on the court.

“I have lacked confidence and mental fortitude for a very long time now, and I have improved both tremendously,” the senior said. “I’ve also worked on my body language and being aggressive from the baseline, because I’ve always been more of a consistent hitter rather than someone who takes a chance.”

Also leading a team that finished 15-3 last year and made it to the county semifinals is Imundi, who is working his way back from a shoulder injury.

“Over the offseason, I was mainly focusing on my net play and having better positioning during points, but now I’m hoping to brush the dust off and get back to playing,” he said.

Reed said his captain has taken charge during the offseason and kept the group organized and motivated.

“Sandro Imundi has stepped up,” the coach said. “He also had a very strong doubles record last year with Matt Moran, and I look forward to seeing them build on that success.”

Juniors Bryce Groth and Brady Schultz and sophomore Caden Padavan, who have all been labeled most-improved by their coach and teammates, also return to the court.

“Caden Padavan and Brady Schultz have put in a lot of work in the offseason and they’ve improved their strength and consistency,” Reed said. “And Bryce Groth has emerged as one of the most talented players on the team and looks like he will be highly competitive this season. He has been working extremely hard to be a well-rounded player.”

Volpe said he contested with Schultz across the summer and winter.

“It has been a true pleasure watching one of my best friends grow and get better as a tennis player,” he said.

The senior also touted Padavan, who honed in on his groundstrokes and cleaning up his game.

“I also often found myself practicing serving in the offseason,” Padavan said. “To me, using my serve to control points on the court allows me to get aggressive and win points.”

Imundi said Groth’s serve and use of it has also been noticeable.

“Bryce Groth has put in the work during the offseason to fill our top singles spots, and the improvement he has made since last season has been remarkable,” Imundi said. “What stands out most is the consistency and power that he delivers with each serve and having the confidence to hit a powerful second serve.”

“With Bryce, his overall game has been refined and he excels all over the court,” Padavan added. “Whether it’s a tough volley, well-placed lob shot or just a quick shot coming at him, you can count on him to hustle and hit the ball back.”

Also returning is sophomore Manny Gomez, who Reed said has a ton of potential and talent he hopes to fully unlock this year.

“It truly is so exciting to see all these guys returning stronger and sharper in their games, and I cannot wait for the matches to come,” Volpe said. “I also think the new guys are very serious and focused on the goal of winning, and practices are taken seriously.”

Joining the team are eighth-grader Chris Meyers, freshmen Ian Besser and Luca Caumartin, and sophomores David Meyers and Brett Geller.

“The Meyers brothers are both coming into this season bringing a lot of power and confidence and good tennis,” Volpe said. “I think they’re both great players in their respective rights. And Chris is only in eighth grade, so I look forward to seeing him grow in the coming years.”

“The best part is that they’re between eighth and 10th grade, so I’ll have that strong core for a few years together,” Reed said. “I’m confident that we will be very competitive with the group we have this season.”

While still figuring out the lineup, the players agreed that the depth of the roster is what’s important to the Hurricanes this season.

“Not only did our top guys make tremendous improvements to their already impressive skill, but the backend of our team’s roster came in really strong,” Padavan said.

“Having many great players throughout our lineup gives us a strong core for difficult matches,” Imundi added. “A key to winning matches is having a lot of experienced older players ready to step up and bring the younger guys with them, and this is especially effective in doubles — having a partner who knows how to control the game.”

Westhampton Beach kicked off nonleague play at Sachem on Tuesday, results of which were not available by press time. The Hurricanes travel to Harborfields on Friday, March 28, for a 4:30 p.m. match before opening Division IV play at Eastport-South Manor on Tuesday, April 1, at 4:30 p.m.

“Reaching the semifinals last year as a team was tremendous, and something the boys team hadn’t achieved in some time, so I’d love to match that, if not surpass it,” Reed said. “But just like any other season, it’s one match at a time and we’ll give it our best shot no matter who is in front of us.”

Padavan said he thinks this group has a solid foundation laid to make that goal a reality.

“I think we are already entering the season at a very competitive level of play,” Padavan said. “We are looking to make this a really successful season for the team, and our guys possess a collective willingness to play hard and work hard to achieve success this season. We are coming into this year with strong mindsets and even stronger skill, and we are destined for success.”