Blue Devil Tennis Knocked
from Playoffs
It was a frustrating two days for the Huntington High School boys' tennis team. The Blue Devils took a two-hour bus ride out to East Hampton, only to have the meet rained out. They took the same ride the next day, too, only to drop a tough 4-3 verdict to the Bonackers in the Section XI team tournament.
The Blue Devils finished the regular season with an overall record of 11-1, including a perfect 10-0 in Suffolk League II. Huntington's post-season match in East Hampton marked the team's first playoff appearance since 2007.
After winning the League II title, Huntington was seeded No. 23 in the county tournament and sent to East Hampton to face the No. 10 Bonackers. The Blue Devils took the long bus ride last Wednesday and warmed up for the meet only to have it called off because the courts were soaked. The next day, the team did it all over again.
The meet played out in dramatic fashion. First off the court for Huntington was Tyler Cook, who captured No. 4 singles in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1. Next came Gabe Goldman and Patrick Lombardi, who fell in No. 3 doubles, 6-1,6-2 to knot the team score at 1-1. Brian Marek and Alex Castillo swept to victory in No. 2 doubles, 6-2, 6-3 to give the Blue Devils the lead again at 2-1.
Eighth grader Cody Bograd dropped No. 3 singles, 6-3, 6-3 as East Hampton pulled even at 2-2. "The intensity was very high with a lot of emotion on the court," said Jamie Fishlow, Huntington's head coach. Brian Gilbert and Marco Ammirati grabbed No. 1 doubles, 6-4, 7-5 to give the Blue Devils a 3-2 lead.
At this point, Fishlow said the tension was thick as the No. 1 and No. 2 singles matches were both heading into third sets. Sam Johnson eventually dropped the No. 1 singles match, 7-6 (7-4), 1-6, 6-1 as the Bonackers tied the score once again, 3-3. Meanwhile, Huntington senior Max Fehrs was still playing at No. 2 singles.
"Max won the first set at 6-4 and lost the second, 6-3," Fishlow said. "The third set is going back and forth and Max is fighting off leg cramps. The match was over two hours long at this point. He is down, but he forces a tie-breaker. He goes down 6-3 and he fights back tie it at 6-6. Two points later he loses a heartbreaker and we lose the match." It was a close call for East Hampton, which came within a whisker of being upset by the Blue Devils.
"The team was great the entire season," Fishlow said. "What a great bunch of kids led by captains Johnson, Fehrs and Marek. They all have everything to be proud of."
Johnson, Fehrs and Marek earned All-League honors. Lucas Alexander will be Huntington's recipient of the Suffolk County Tennis Coaches Assn. Sportsmanship Award at an upcoming dinner.
Alex Castillo, Tyler Cook, Bograd and Gilbert will all return to the team next spring along with current varsity rookies Ammirati and Lombardi.