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05/21/2017 12:00 AMThe Guilford boys’ tennis squad may be short on experience with only one senior on its roster, but fortunately for the Indians, several newcomers have taken a shine to the big stage and provided the team with versatility and depth that’s led to more success.
Head Coach Rob Messer and the Indians finished third for the Class M State Championship last year. Now this spring, Guilford has moved up to the Class L tier and pushed itself to a 16-4 regular season record. Last week, the Indians started off with a 5-2 win versus Cheshire on May 15 and beat Notre Dame-West Haven by that same final three days later. The Indians closed the regular season by splitting a doubleheader on May 19, losing 5-2 to Fairfield Prep and beating Career 6-1. Coach Messer said the Indians have flipped the script on several of their defeats from 2016, boosting their self-confidence as they begin the postseason.
“The first big win we had was against Branford. We were able to beat them last year, and we were confident going into the match, but it wasn’t even close at 7-0. Yet it was eye opening to have that benchmark of how good we could we are,” said Messer. “We beat West Haven 4-3 last year and then 7-0 this year, which was also telling. We defeated Waterford 7-0 this year after 5-2 last year. We came on the losing end against Amity, but it was a good match that could’ve gone either way. We beat Notre Dame-West Haven 5-2 after losing 4-3 last season and then lost to Cheshire 4-3 last year, but beat them now. Those results have been building blocks of our confidence for the postseason. We feel good about our performances.”
The Indians’ lone senior is No. 1 singles player Jeff Eng, who’s assumed the role of captain alongside junior Sam Inchalik. Both athletes have more than proved their worth as a tandem that’s committed to individual and team success both on and off the court.
“Jeff is playing No. 1 singles, and he has big shoes to fill [following the graduation of state singles champion Evan Powell]. He trained hard in the offseason, and he leads with his demeanor and effort on the court. He’s a grinder. He has a heavy schedule as No. 1 in playing some formidable foes, but it’s nice to see someone lead by example. He’s a microcosm of our team in never giving up,” Messer said. “Sam is on the basketball team, but he still found time to train in the offseason. He cares about the team, and he got into a groove this year. He can play No. 2 singles and No. 1 doubles. We are deep enough of a team this year that we can do things like that with guys. He’s taken on the leadership role in that No. 1 doubles spot. I’m happy with his growth.”
The flexibility of the Indians’ lineup is showcased in the latter half of its singles lineup with three newcomers in freshmen Alex Kagan and Gianni Esposito, plus junior transfer David Mason, who all rotate between the No. 2, 3, and 4 positions. Junior Joel Cimino also sees some time on the singles court. On the doubles side, Guilford features juniors Michael Hooker and Isaac Freeman, along with sophomores Andrew Inchalik, Kyle Dunlop, Noah Horton, and Erik Mastalerz.
“Alex is always excited to play. He can match up with the best of the best, which isn’t easy to do as a freshman in the SCC. He hangs around and will always fight to get the last ball. Gianni is happy to play wherever. He’s successful at doubles, along with 2, 3, and 4 singles. He’s a great role model, even as a freshman. David came here knowing a lot of the guys already and made a smooth transition. He loves the competitive spirit of tennis. All three guys have added to our depth and confidence level,” said Coach Messer. “Michael and Isaac have been big in doubles, plus Erik, Kyle, and Andrew are interchangeable for doubles. Noah has improved vastly and been a big asset.”
The Indians have had an entire regular season to evaluate themselves and so they know where they have to grow entering the postseason. Coach Messer said that it comes down to his athletes showing up for each match with the attitude that they’re going to win every point.
“We feel we’re in the top two, three teams in the SCC, and we’re getting even better, but we also know where we fall down. We need to be more aggressive and be the last one to touch the ball,” said Messer. “We have to go onto the courts expecting to win. We have to be purposeful about why we are arriving to the courts—to show them how good Guilford is. We’ve been working on a positive mindset. We are ready to go at the postseason and make a deep run.”
The Indians drew the No. 5 seed in the SCC Tournament and will travel to No. 4 Amity on Monday, May 22 in a quarterfinal. The winner faces either No. 1 Hand or No. 8 Branford in a semifinal on Tuesday, May 22 at Yale University. The final is scheduled for Wednesday, May 23, also at Yale University.
From the Sidelines
Rob Messer is in his second season as Guilford;s head coach.
Paul Malafronte is an assistant coach for the Indians who’s in his first year.
The Class L State Tournament opens on Saturday, May 27 and concludes with the finals on Thursday, June 1 at Conard High School.