For the first time in Section I history, there is a team playoff in Boys tennis.

Starting last week, the Quakers have left their opponents speechless defeating Blind Brook 7-0 and Fox Lane 6-1. The final for the Conference III championship was held May 13 at number one seeded Byram Hills, who had beat Greeley in the regular season 5-2. They came to the match ready to wave their victory flags, but they could not get past the Quakers.

Several of the matches were decided definitively: Greeley took second and third singles, while Byram took first, second and third doubles. Greeley was confident that the remaining singles player, the undefeated Neal Port, would get the job done. What Byram did not expect was to meet “The Wall” in fourth doubles. That’s what the duo of Lucas Cacace and Ryan Quish are known as by their teammates because they get EVERYTHING back…like a wall.

Things were looking good in the first set and they were ahead. Their opponents cut down on their errors and tied it up 6-6 to force a tiebreak. Lucas and Ryan stayed strong and steady and won the tiebreak. The second set was a bit more challenging, and Byram pulled it out. It all came down to the final set, played as a 10-point tiebreak. Both teams were watching, because with Neal dominating in singles, everyone knew that this was going to be the deciding match. The score started out fairly close. Then the Byram boys began finding their mojo and hitting low shots at Ryan and Lucas’ feet. Byram brought the score to 9-6. With only one point away from losing, Ryan and Lucas were fearless: they never gave up. They kept playing their game and they embodied “The Wall”. They got every shot back. They tied the score at 9-9, and went on to win the tiebreak 11-9. The Greeley fans were going wild.

Greeley moves on to play the other Conference winners on Saturday, May 18 at 11:00. Location to be announced.  Top^^
 

The singles players were all victorious: Rex Glickman and Jeremy Wei sailed through their matches, finishing off their opponents by dropping only a handful of games between them.

Neal Port, in first singles, played a smooth first set, but was challenged in the second set. With the team cheering from the bleachers, Neal dug deep, and punished the ball even harder, forcing errors and winning the second set 7-5.

The doubles players had a tougher time. Two Greeley courts came terrifically close to securing the team win. In third doubles, Kevin Socolow and Josh Bluestine played with an artful combination of power and finesse. Kevin’s lefty serve, followed by Josh’s leaping overhead, made for an exciting match, which was lost by only a few points. Players from both teams were applauding the exciting points.

Fourth doubles players Ryan Quish and Lucas Cacace brought consistency and communication to the court. They tracked down every ball, and covered all corners of the court to make their opponents earn every point. Greeley was leading during most of the first set, when Scarsdale clawed their way to a tiebreak. Unfortunately, the tiebreak went to Scarsdale, as well as the second set.

Congratulations to all the players on the court today. The next match is tomorrow at Blind Brook at 4:15 PM.

First Singles
Neal Port – 6-3, 7-5

Second Singles
Rex Glickman – 6-3, 6-2

Third Singles
Jeremy Wei – 6-0, 6-1

First Doubles
Harry Hall & Gavin Abrams – 2-6, 3-6

Second Doubles
Zach Jayson & Ben Fortier – 6-7 (4), 1-6

Third Doubles
Kevin Socolow & Josh Bluestine – 6-7, 5-7

Fourth Doubles
Ryan Quish & Lucas Cacace – 6-7(1), 3-6  Top^^
 

With Senior Musical behind them, Greeley was indeed, “Footloose”. Senior Neal Port made his 2013 debut in first singles, and was firmly in control of his match from start to finish. His laser-speed serve and accurately placed groundies proved too powerful for his opponent. He cruised through his match to win 6-0, 6-1.

Also playing his first match of the season, Senior Gavin Abrams joined Junior Harry Hall in first doubles. Tied at 2-2 in the first set, it looked like it would be a close match. But Gavin’s kick serve, followed by Harry’s unreturnable poaches, put that match to bed at 6-2, 6-0.

Unfortunately, the cloudy skies turned to rain, and the match had to be called due to weather. The team was all rooting for Senior Max Behren, who stepped up to play third singles when one of the Greeley players was sick. Max, who normally is in the doubles rotation, was there to give it his best. The first set could not have been closer: He lost it in a tiebreak 7-6. Although down in the second set, Max was beginning to turn things around, when the weather sent everyone home.

Well done by all Quakers on the court today.

First Singles
Neal Port -- 6-1, 6-0

Second Singles
Jeremy Wei -- 6-0, 5-1 (called due to rain)

Third Singles
Max Behren – 6-7, 0-2 (called)

First Doubles
Gavin Abrams & Harry Hall – 6-2, 6-0

Second Doubles
Zach Jayson & Ben Fortier – 6-0, 6-1

Third Doubles
Kevin Socolow & Josh Bluestein – 6-0, 6-2

Fourth Doubles
Ian Sklar & Jace Krakovitz – 2-6, 1-2  Top^^
 

With the Senior Musical just days away, Greeley had to face Harrison with a limited Senior lineup. That did not slow down the Quakers.

Freshman Ben Fortier played with Senior Aaron Blacker in second doubles, and it was a powerful partnership. They were consistent, hard-hitting, and played a strong defense. They made their win look easy.

Sophmore Matt Corso partnered with Freshman Justin Simpson in third doubles, and were effective at keeping their balls low at the opponents’ feet. They forced the errors and came out as winners.

Today’s grittiest match was played by Junior Zach Jayson, who went stroke by stroke hitting winners in the corner, drop shots and loops. Close to two hours later, he emerged the victor.

Clearly, the team is deep in talent this season. Congratulations to everyone who played today.

First Singles
Rex Glickman -- 6-1, 6-0

Second Singles
Zach Jayson -- 7-6, 6-4

Third Singles
Jace Krakovitz -- 4-6, 0-6

First Doubles
Harry Hall & Kevin Socolow -- 6-2, 6-4

Second Doubles
Aaron Blacker & Ben Fortier -- 6-1, 6-3

Third Doubles
Matt Corso & Justin Simpson -- 6-0, 6-2

Fourth Doubles
David Vlock & David Shimer – 7-6(4), 10-6 (match shortened by time)
Top^^

Beautiful blue skies and a steady breeze set the ideal backdrop for Greeley’s first regular season match played at home against John Jay CR. It was a true team effort in which several courts had to battle through third sets to bring home the team win.

In first singles, Rex Glickman had a dogfight against a strong opponent. After winning the first set 7-5, he dropped the second set, but stayed strong to win the ten-point tiebreak 10-8 to win the match.

Making his singles debut, senior Jake Papell would not let his opponent win. His patience outlasted his adversary’s, and although he lost the second set, he refocused and won the tiebreak 10-6

Congratulations to all the players on the court:

First Singles:
Rex Glickman 7-5, 3-6, 1-0 (8)

Second Singles:
Zach Jayson 0-6, 4-6

Third Singles:
Jake Papell 6-3, 2-6, 1-0 (6)

First Doubles:
Harry Hall & Kevin Socolow 6-4, 6-0

Second Doubles:
Josh Bluestein & Jace Krakovitz 6-3, 7-5

Third Doubles:
Ben Fortier & Matt Corso 6-2, 6-3

Fourth Doubles:
Robert Huang & Fayzan Chaudhry 6-7, 5-7  Top^^
 

First singles player junior Rex Glickman showed his might with a strong serve and return, winning 6-4, 6-3. First doubles team Harry Hall and Kevin Socolow scored big and pulled out a great win. The team played well, fighting some tough opponents.

Zach Jayson, a junior playing second singles, fought hard with a powerful serve against a strong opponent. Freshman Justin Simpson played third singles and has a bright future on the team. Freshman Zach Papell and Sophomore Noah Truwit played a valiant doubles match, losing in a close third set tie-break. The next match is at home on Tuesday, April 9 against John Jay Cross River.  Top^^
 

HORACE GREELEY
2013 BOYS VARSITY TENNIS

Ben Fortier 9
Zach Papell 9
Avatar J. Simpson 9
Matt Corso 10
Noah Truwit 10
Jeremy Wei 10
Lucas Cacace 11
Fayzan Chaudhry 11
Rex Glickman 11
Harry Hall 11
Robert Hwang 11
Zach Jayson 11
Jace Krakovitz 11
David Shimer 11
Kevin Socolow 11
Ryan Quish 11
David Vlock 11
Gavin Abrams 12 (Captain)
Max Behren 12
Aaron Blacker 12
Josh Bluestine 11
Jake Papell 12
Neal Port 12 (Captain)
Ian Sklar 12
Jeremy Warner 12
 

HORACE GREELEY
2013 BOYS JV B TENNIS

Justin Shapiro
Alex Newman
Ben Polikoff
Brad Dodderidge
Sam Herzog
Spencer Singer
Matt Silverstein
Connor Groppa
Mark Schenkel
Noah Poser
Tirin Manchanda
Brandon Grund
David Abadi

Coach: Bobby Herodes