“I think that Ross isn’t going to know what hit ’em,” senior Gavin Vander Schaaf said prior to the Westhampton Beach boys tennis match last Thursday. “I know that neither team is going to go down easy, but I speak for my whole team when I say we want this one.”
He wasn’t kidding, as a sweep across the singles lineup propelled the Hurricanes (11-3 overall, 9-1 in League IV) to a 5-2 win over visiting Ross on May 4.
“We lost a bunch of guys from last year, but we have some super skilled guys on the team this year,” said Vander Schaaf, who won his third singles match, 6-3, 6-2. “It was a good test for sure, but I think it is even more so a statement — Westhampton isn't messing around going into the county tournament. And I think more so than a statement for others, this was a statement for ourselves, realizing we’re at a level where we can crush these upper-level teams. Everyone has really stepped up, and I think we’re exceeding expectations.”
First to take a step up was junior Bobby Stabile, who made the jump from first doubles to first singles. He was also first off the court last Thursday with a 6-1, 6-0 win over his Ross opponent.
“Being aggressive and making first serves consistently helped me to the win,” he said. “And all four singles players were amazing, finishing quickly and setting the tone for the rest of the match. Playing better singles opponents has been a good challenge, and I think has definitely gotten me ready for when I compete in doubles in the division and county tournaments coming up.”
The junior said the team has also improved thanks to a lot of hard work, especially from those in the doubles lineup. His coach agreed. And even though Manny Gomez and Ashton Lundborg lost their second singles match, they were able to take a set from their Ross opponents, thanks to putting what they’ve learned in practice into match play. The pair fell, 3-6, 6-4, 2-6.
“Doubles play has been the main emphasis in practice over the last couple of weeks, and those guys are gaining confidence,” head coach Matt Reed said. “They’ve begun using strategies and drills in matches that we’ve been working on in practice, which is paying dividends. There’s still a lot of work to be done for the younger guys on the team, but they’ve been making great strides, which I’m happy to see.”
Stabile also boasted about the efforts of No. 3 doubles duo Sandro Imundi and Matt Moran, who bested their Ross challengers, 6-1, 6-4.
“They had their best match of the year,” the junior said. “They were working very well with each other and being aggressive at the net and at the baseline, and they were playing with a lot of confidence and trust. It paid off with a nice win.”
Vander Schaaf said he’s also seen solid playing from sophomore Giancarlo Volpe, who took down his Ross opponent 6-1, 6-3 at second singles, and junior Theo Grellet-Aumont, who outlasted his challenger, 6-3, 6-2, at fourth singles.
“There were some solid matches, and our guys are dictating most points,” said the senior, who also highlighted the versatility of Bryce Groth, a freshman who has switched between singles and doubles when teammates couldn’t make a match. “He’s always up for anything, and I think Bryce is going to be a heavy hitter in the coming years. As a freshman, he’s already proved himself to be really solid and committed, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he is a top player in a few years.”
Reed said overall, the win over Ross was one of his team’s finest.
“It was one of the best matches we’ve played so far this season up and down the lineup,” he said. “This win definitely shows that we are a strong team and can make a good run in the team playoffs. It also shows that we’ll be strong for years to come. The guys were definitely pumped up after that win, and hopefully we can carry that momentum through.”
Stabile said the victory ignites a fire in his Hurricanes, which also excelled against visiting Comsewogue on Monday, 6-1, and traveled to Southold/Greenport for a regular season finale on Tuesday, results of which were not available by press time.
“It definitely gives our team confidence moving forward,” Stabile said. “My teammates have a great mentality and never give up, even when losing, which helps us make a comeback and win matches, and I think everyone’s game has definitely made a big jump this year.”
Vander Schaaf said close 5-2 losses to top teams like Ward Melville and Half Hollow Hills East have also given Westhampton Beach a boost.
“I know we always come out fighting, and that’s all I could ask for. The whole team has a lot of heart,” the senior said. “I think that some people might have been counting us out this season, but we gave a good fight to Ward Melville, and a great fight to Hills East. We were looked at as the underdogs, and now I think we’ve established ourselves as one of the tougher teams out there.”
