Twice As Nice: Stabile Sisters Take Division Title Again, Buchen Earns Top Singles Spot

Spectators had to take a double take Tuesday, because for the second straight year the Westhampton Beach sister pair of Katelyn and Julia Stabile claimed the No. 1 spot in Division IV. The Hurricanes bested the No. 2 doubles duo out of William Floyd, Amanda Jones and Hailey O’Connor, 6-1, 6-3 to defend their title.

The top four teams also advance to the Suffolk County tournament, which begins Friday, September 22, at Smithtown East High School at 9 a.m.

“I was a little nervous, put a little extra pressure on because we wanted to do it again,” said Katelyn, a senior. “Our opponents were both very powerful and have a lot of top spin, so we knew it was going to be tough, and it was really tricky this year, because you could see how much everyone’s been practicing, but this feels really good.”

The Stabiles still sped through the bracket, not dropping a single set before the semifinals, where they only ended up handing one to the Colonials’ other duo, No. 4-seeded Casey Musselman and Isabella Saladin, beating the Floyd pair 6-1, 6-0.

Julia, a sophomore, said the strategy heading into the tournament was simple — she and her sister never wanted to look too far ahead.

“We definitely wanted to take it one match at a time. You never know what to expect,” she said. “But we played well, and we had really good communication.”

That can sometimes be tricky with a pair of sisters — they know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and know how each other acts and reacts, but it can sometimes get testy.

“We know when each other is getting frustrated — we can pick each other up and cheer each other on,” Katelyn said. “It’s very special.”

First-year head coach Matt Reed said he sees the sisters having nothing but fun during practice, and added there’s never a moment where they’re not getting along. While the sisters talk it up on the court, he said they could be silent and still be just as successful, because they know so much about each other, how each other plays and their movements, that even who is going to get a ball is never in question.

“They’re one of the best doubles teams I’ve seen at their age. It’s amazing what they’re doing,” Reed said. “Things I see at the collegiate level they’re doing now — the movement and the communication – it’s beautiful to see. It’s great doubles play.”

While heavy gusts of wind along with a bright, sunny day can be challenging, the Stabiles adjusted their serves and remained solid with their groundstrokes, switching up their placements to counter the elements and pull away with a victory in the finals.

“It feels great to win, especially with my sister, because she’s my best friend,” Julia said. “My sister always picks me up and gives us confidence. We work well together. And being that it’s our last year playing together, we’re looking forward to counties. We’re ready to give it our all.”

As an eighth-grader Matilda Buchen made it all the way to the Division IV finals, much like her opponent and teammate Rose Hayes had done when she’d broken out onto the high school tennis scene. While she was swept last year by the three-time Suffolk County champion, with Hayes deciding not to play tennis in her final season, it was Buchen’s time to shine.

The now-freshman made a statement October 19 with her 6-1, 6-0 win over the No. 3 seed out of Shoreham-Wading River, senior Catherine Erb, to claim her first crown.

“I honestly don’t know how I did it,” Buchen said, smiling. “She’s a good player. I just tried to pull through, get good shots today.”

The two faced off in the semifinals of the Division IV championships last season. The No. 1 seed said she remembered Erb liked to go to the net, and that she was consistent in her strokes.

“It was also pretty tough versing a lefty,” Buchen said. “All the shots are different.”

To counter that, the young singles standout hit deeper to prevent Erb from being able to get to the net. Toward the end of the match she also worked on being more offensive to put it away quickly.

“Last year, Rose crushed me,” the freshman said, laughing. “So, I guess this year I showed a little bit more of what I’m made of. I was also more stressed out not facing a teammate, but this feels really nice. I’m really proud of myself.”

Reed was delighted by Buchen’s game across the tournament, but said for her to win in the final away she did against good competition is phenomenal.

“The score line speaks for itself. She’s firing on all cylinders right now,” he said. “Throughout the whole tournament she was on — she played great. Her backhand was solid and her passing shots were on point. She’s taking it up a notch. She’s also been working on that consistency, and it’s showing.”

Westhampton Beach had a ton of other players compete in the tournament, too — nearly the entire roster. Senior Emma Way was eliminated in the second round. Her younger sisters, Kylie and Anna, made it to the third, winning their second match 6-2, 6-2. Musselmen and Saladin took them out in a long, extended match, 1-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5). Seniors Emily D'Alessandro and Alexandra Sielaw also made it to the third round. They fell to Natalia Furchel and Kristina Scheludenko out of Eastport-South Manor 6-0, 6-1. Senior Mia Failla and newcomer Melina Anonzek fell in the second round, 6-3, 6-4, to Jones and O’Connor.

For all of the Hurricanes the hard work is paying off, even down to how the finals competitors kept their composure when the wind and sun and everyday match miscues can be frustrating. This makes him excited for their future.

“They all played so hard every single point and it’s great to see them get these results,” Reed said. “To do what they did pretty handily … they played great. I think we’re going to do some damage at counties.”