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06/08/2018 12:00 AMThe Guilford boys’ tennis team came up short of winning SCC and state titles this spring, but the Indians still proved that they are a program on the rise that is getting closer to grasping championship gold. Head Coach Rob Messer’s club finished the 2018 campaign with 19 victories and then reached the SCC Tournament semifinals, before posting a fifth-place finish at the Class L State Championship.
Guilford netted a regular-season record of 18-2 with its only blemishes coming against eventual SCC and Class L state champion Hand, plus SCC runner-up Amity. As the No. 3 seed in the SCC Tournament, Guilford opened the draw by downing No. 6 Notre Dame-West Haven 5-2 in the quarterfinals. The Indians came one win away from reaching their first SCC Tournament final when they took a 4-3 loss to 2nd-seeded Amity in the semifinal round the following day.
At the Class L State Championship, the Indians notched a fifth-place performance that was highlighted by the duo of senior Sam Inchalik and sophomore Gianni Esposito, who advanced to the championship match of the doubles bracket, where they lost a hard-fought, three set contest against Hand’s tandem of Noah Gulla and Rob Israel.
Coach Messer feels confident that his squad has set the table to reach great heights in future seasons and knows that his athletes are committed to achieving that goal.
“We had goals of making the SCC final and winning it, but these guys now know what it takes. We have a lot of talent coming down the pike, and this year was a good turning point for us,” said Messer, who completed his third season as head coach. “I was really proud of their aggression. A lot of our schedule at the start of the year was against weaker opponents, and that, coupled with the weather we had, it would be easy to check out, but the guys pushed each other. They stayed focused and made it a point to test each other in practice. There was no hesitation from anyone.”
Much of Guilford’s guidance came from its co-captains: No. 1 doubles player Michael Hooker, who went 20-3 on the year; and doubles specialist Sam Inchalik, who finished at 20-5. Inchalik made All-State with Esposito after they reached the final of the Class L doubles bracket; they later made the semis of the State Open Doubles Tournament. Doubles player Isaac Freeman (10-3 record) and No. 4 singles player Joel Cimino (11-6) rounded out the Indians’ quartet of solid seniors.
“Mike never had an issue when we changed his spot in the lineup or partner. He took everything in stride. He was the face of the team through thick and thin. Michael really overcame adversity and matured on and off the court. He was a great player and kid,” Coach Messer said. “Isaac was part of a dependable team with [junior] Erik Mastalerz, and they clinched a big win over Class M state champion Weston. Joel was a great utility guy and had the heart and drive to fight for every ball.”
The Indians recorded several big wins among their 19 this spring, and there was none bigger than their historic victory against SCC powerhouse Fairfield Prep. Even in defeat, Coach Messer felt that Guilford displayed why it will be a force to be reckoned with in both its conference and the state for years to come.
“We beat Fairfield Prep 4-3 for the first time in at least 16 years. Gianni and [sophomore No. 2 singles player] Alex Kagan had some epic performances that day, and it was our first piece of tangible evidence that we were becoming a stronger team,” said Messer. “We lost a heartbreak to Amity in SCCs, but being that close to the final, we walked away with our heads held high. The whole team was really proud of Sam and Gianni’s run through states. [Freshman No. 3 singles player] Walker Mulligan also had a strong run to the quarterfinals of states.”
Esposito made the All-SCC Team and the New Haven Register’s All-Area Team for the Indians. Esposito will be among the key returnees for Guilford in 2019, along with Kagan, who went 13-8 this year; Mulligan, who finished 19-2; and freshman Nick Celotto, who posted a record of 15-3.
With so many talented underclassmen who are now seasoned on the big stage, Coach Messer believes that Guilford is heading in the right direction on a path to prominence.
“At one point this year, our top four guys in the lineup were either freshmen or sophomores, and so they got a taste of what it’s like to go deep in the postseason,” Messer said. “I’m confident that we are on schedule to win titles in the future.”
From the Sidelines
In the regular season, Guilford defeated Woodstock Academy (7-0), West Haven (6-1 and 7-0), Hamden (7-0 twice), Branford (7-0), Lyman Hall (7-0), Cross (7-0), Career (6-1), Shelton (5-2 twice), Law (7-0), Notre Dame-West Haven (5-2 twice), Sheehan (7-0), Weston (4-3), Cheshire (6-1), and Fairfield Prep (4-3). The Indians’ losses came against Hand (7-0) and Amity (5-2).
Additionally at the Class L State Championship, Alex Kagan reached the third round of the singles tournament, Nick Celotto made the second round, and Joel Cimino lost in the first round. For doubles, the team of junior Noah Horton and Michael Hooker reached the second round, while the duo of Isaac Freeman and Erik Mastalerz took a first-round defeat.
At the State Open Championship, Guilford’s tandem of Gianni Esposito and Sam Inchalik earned a 7-6 (7-3), 6-1 win over Weston’s Reid Brostoff and Steven Dampf in the quarterfinals and then took a 6-2, 6-1 loss against Taisi Hosokawa and Prem Dave of Norwalk in the semis.