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05/06/2019 12:00 AMThe Westbrook boys’ tennis team is in the midst of a big-time turnaround with Head Coach Dan Shapiro this spring. The Knights raised their record to 11-3 after winning their matches against Valley Regional, Haddam-Killingworth, Morgan, and Ledyard last week. With these victories, the Knights also qualified for the Class S State Championship.
Westbrook finished with a perfect regular-season record just two years ago, but then went 6-14 last season after graduating several key contributors from its 2017 run. Coach Sharprio said the Knights’ goal for this year was to work their way back to prominence in the Shoreline Conference.
“Two years ago, we were 20-0 with seven seniors. At a small school, only 100 boys, it’s very hard to get back to a competitive level, but the kids have worked really hard, and I’m proud of them,” Coach Shapiro said. “It’s really special having a team that supports each other. They are all friends, and the team spirit is excellent.”
Westbrook took a big step in the right direction by winning all four of last week’s matches. On April 29, the Knights claimed a 6-1 home victory versus Valley Regional. Senior captain Nate Comment earned a 6-1, 6-3 win at the No. 1 singles position for Westbrook. Sophomore Cooper Whitehouse netted a 6-4, 6-4 victory at the No. 3 spot, while fellow sophomore Jesse McGannon notched a 6-0, 6-3 win in the No. 4 match. In doubles play, the Knights’ No. 1 duo of senior captain Jack Lyman and senior Lukas Francis posted a 6-1, 6-0 victory. The No. 2 team of senior Ben Schreck and freshman Mason Malchiodi won a 6-0, 6-2 decision.
Comment’s performance is proving huge in Westbrook’s resurgence this spring. The senior captain owns a record of 11-3 playing No. 1 singles for the Knights. Coach Shapiro said that Comment has the skills to take on the best players the opposition has to offer.
“Nate works hard at his game and, when he gets in that special zone, he’s tough to beat. There are lots of good No. 1 players in the conference, and it’s not easy,” said Shapiro. “Nate has been the cornerstone of this team for years. As a coach, you hope you get as many players like Nate as possible on your team.”
The next day, Westbrook blanked Haddam-Killingworth by a 7-0 final on the road. The Knights received victories from Comment (6-1, 6-2), senior Finn McGannon (6-1, 6-1), Whitehouse (7-5, 6-0), Jesse McGannon (6-1, 6-0), and freshman Joey Caslin (6-0, 6-0) at the No. 1 through 5 singles positions, respectively. For doubles, Westbrook’s tandems of Lyman and Francis (6-4, 6-3), as well as Schreck and Malchiodi (6-0, 6-0), also took home wins.
Shapiro said the McGannon brothers have been playing some quality tennis at their respective positions in the singles lineup this season.
“Finn is a senior, and this is his first year on the team. He’s has played well, and I’m proud of his effort. There are lots of really strong No. 2 players in the league, but his court awareness and his willingness to fight for every point has helped our team,” said Shapiro. “Jesse has taken huge steps from last year. He’s stronger, understands his strengths and weaknesses, and works hard every day. His 9-4 record is solid, and he’s only going to improve as the season moves forward.”
On May 1, the Knights claimed a 4-3 road win against Morgan to qualify for states. Westbrook’s singles victories came from Comment (6-4, 6-1), Jesse McGannon (5-7, 6-1, 6-4), and Caslin (6-3, 6-2). The tandem of Lyman and Francis rallied for a 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 triumph at No. 1 doubles.
Lyman and Francis had a bumpy start to their season, although they have come on strong at the top doubles slot in recent weeks.
“Jack and Lukas struggled early, but are now playing good tennis. They had a huge win at Morgan against a very good team, and I think they proved to themselves that they are capable of good tennis at the No. 1 doubles spot,” Coach Shapiro said. “Their matches against Old Lyme and Old Saybrook in the coming weeks will be very important, and I think they are ready to compete.”
The following afternoon, Westbrook netted a 6-1 victory at Ledyard in a non-conference contest. Comment (6-2, 7-5) and Whitehouse (7-5, 6-2) earned victories in singles, while Schreck and Finn McGannon secured a 6-3, 6-1 victory in doubles action. The Knights also picked up three victories via default.
Coach Shapiro is excited that Westbrook is heading back to states following a brief hiatus. For the rest of the regular season, Shapiro wants to see the Knights step up to the challenge of taking on the top competition in the Shoreline Conference.
“We’ve qualified for the states and are trying to finish as high as possible in the Shoreline. As I group, I’m very proud of the effort,” said Shapiro. “I think they want to win for their school, their teammates, and me. The chemistry on this team is solid. We have a really tough schedule coming up with Old Saybrook, Old Lyme and Cromwell in the next few weeks, but I’m confident our kids will compete hard.”
From the Sidelines
The Westbrook boys’ tennis team roster includes senior captains Nate Comment and Jack Lyman; fellow seniors Lukas Francis, Finn McGannon, Ben Schreck, Garrett Smith, and Colin Sutherland; juniors Gavin LaBrec and Ian Whitehouse; sophomores Anthony Langan, Jesse McGannon, Daniel Ruppenicker, Cooper Whitehouse, and Gareth Whitehouse; and freshmen Joey Caslin, Kyle Czenthe, Eric Franco, Jonah Freund, Mason Malchiodi, Evan McIntyre, Brett Metcalfe, Justin Tapia, and Jesse Whitney.
Dan Shapiro is in fourth season as the Knights’ head coach. Shapiro’s assistant coach is Bill Bernard.
For the rest of the regular season, the Knights have home matches against East Hampton, Old Saybrook, and Granby Memorial. Westbrook will also hit the road for contests against Old Lyme and Cromwell.