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06/24/2019 12:00 AMThe Westbrook boys’ tennis team surprised some in the Shoreline Conference posting a 16-4 record this year. The Knights went 6-14 last season, so even though they were just two years removed from going 20-0 in 2017, Westbrook was still expected to be in rebuilding mode. Instead, Head Coach Dan Shapiro’s squad earned second place in the Shoreline Conference and saw a handful of players turn in impressive performances into the postseason.
Coach Shapiro believes his team went above and beyond this year. Shapiro never doubted his players, but he did admit that his squad’s final record was better than anyone had hoped. Shapiro believed his players’ tenacity played a big part in their success.
“This team definitely exceeded expectations. They never gave up, and they never got discouraged. We played a dominant Stonington team in the first match of the season and took a tough loss. After that, we went 16-3 overall and won against some of the best teams in the conference,” said Shapiro. “This team was a delight to coach. Their chemistry and camaraderie added to their wins. They were in sole possession of second place in a conference that had some really talented teams.”
The biggest contributor to the Knights’ season was senior captain Nate Comment. Comment went 16-1 at the No. 1 singles position, reached the Shoreline Conference Singles’ Tournament final, and made it to the quarterfinal of the Class S State Singles’ Tournament. Ultimately, Comment finished his Westbrook career with a 65-11 record and earned All-Shoreline Conference First Team honors in his sophomore through senior years. Comment was a steady presence for his squad as a leader and a competitor.
“Nate’s been the backbone of the team for four years. He played No. 5 singles as a freshman, and then he played No. 3 singles as a sophomore. Junior season, he moved to No. 1 and he was 16-1 both his junior and senior years,” said Shapiro. “Nate was more of a quiet leader at captain, and he really showed the team how to compete. Also, he was supportive of the younger players, and they definitely looked up to him.”
While Comment was almost a guaranteed win at the top, one of Westbrook’s biggest assets was its depth according to Shapiro.
“The team got better as the year went on. Besides Nate, we didn’t have a lot of dominant talent, but we had good depth from No. 2-5 singles,” said Shapiro. “I think the fact that the team was all friends and cheered each other on actually made a big difference on the court.”
Finn McGannon competed at the No. 2 singles position for the Knights and was a great example of Westbrook’s dogged determination on the court. This was the senior’s first foray into organized tennis, and he earned Westbrook’s Coach’s Award for his relentless effort.
“This was Finn’s first year on the team, and No. 2 singles is hard to play, especially in the Shoreline,” said Shapiro. “He never got discouraged and fought for every point. He was able to fit in as a player and compete at a high level.”
At No. 3 singles was sophomore Cooper Whitehouse, who also had a limited tennis background, but it didn’t stop him from earning a 13-6 record on the year.
“Cooper was a warrior. He didn’t have a lot of formal tennis training, but he just found a way to win matches, including in a big 4-3 win against Cromwell,” said Shapiro. “He beat his opponent at Cromwell when that team was 18-1, and that was huge.”
Sophomore Jesse McGannon also turned in a great performance at the No. 4 singles spot. With a 12-6 mark, McGannon showed significant improvement over the year prior.
“Jesse doubled his wins from the year before. He worked on his game and got physically stronger. He continues to get better all the time,” Shapiro said. “He was the decisive win at Morgan when we beat them, 4-3. He won a third set against a very good opponent.”
At the No. 5 spot, freshman Joey Caslin posted an outstanding 16-3 mark in his first year, and he even won a match at states. Coach Shapiro hopes Caslin can continue to impress as he gets more experience.
“It was Joey’s first year playing organized tennis, and he went 16-3. He was not scared to make a mistake. Players that aren’t scared end up improving much more than players who are too cautious,” said Shapiro. “He’s coordinated and a real competitor with incredible nerves. He’s the fastest learner I’ve ever seen in all of my years coaching.”
As for doubles, the senior pair of Jack Lyman and Lukas Francis at the No. 1 position had a strong season with a 12-8 record. Shapiro thought their best match came against a formidable Shoreline Conference foe. Lyman was a major leader for the squad, while Francis earned the Knights’ Most Improved Player Award.
“They are good friends and they really played hard together. I think the highlight of their season was beating a very good Morgan doubles team in a three-set match,” said Shapiro. “Jack was a vocal leader with the younger kids and made everyone feel a part of the team. Lukas’s aggression and his understanding of the game made a huge difference.”
Senior Ben Schreck and freshman Mason Malchiodi were the No. 2 doubles tandem for the majority of the season. The pair tallied an 8-3 record, and proved a tough matchup.
“Nathan earned his spot as a freshman and really improved as the season went on,” Shapiro said. “Ben at 6-foot-7 is a pretty tough player to get a lob over. He became one of the better second doubles players in the league.”
As for the future, the Knights graduate slew of seniors once again. Shapiro saw the same after 2017, but he’s positive that his squad will always show up to compete.
“We’re losing five out of our nine starters in Nate, Jack, Finn, Ben, and Lukas. It will definitely be tough having kids move up,” Shapiro said. “I think we’ll be challenged, but there are some young kids coming up that will continue to improve. The biggest thing is I want them all to compete the hardest they possibly can. We’re just going to do the absolute best that we can.”
From the Sidelines
The Westbrook boys’ tennis team’s roster featured senior captain Nate Comment, seniors Lukas Francis, Jack Lyman, Finn McGannon, Ben Schreck, Garrett Smith, and Colin Sutherland; juniors Gavin LeBrec and Ian Whitehouse; sophomores Anthony Langan, Jesse McGannon, Daniel Ruppenicker, Cooper Whitehouse, and Gareth Whitehouse; and freshmen Joseph Caslin, Kyle Czenthe, Eric Franco, Jonah Freund, Mason Malchiodi, Evan McIntyre, Brett Metcalfe, Justin Tapia, and Jesse Whitney.
Westbrook Head Coach Dan Shapiro finished his fourth season helming the program, and his assistant coach was Bill Bernard.
The Knights’ wins this year came against Haddam-Killingworth (7-0, and 7-0), Valley Regional (5-2 and 6-1), Coginchaug (6-1 and 6-1), East Hampton (7-0 and 7-0), Old Lyme (5-2), Old Saybrook (5-2 and 5-2), Platt Tech (7-0), Morgan (4-3), Ledyard (6-1), Granby Memorial (5-2), and Cromwell (4-3).