The Huntington High School varsity boys’ tennis team is looking ahead after a season that saw the Blue Devils advance to the Suffolk playoffs and upset William Floyd in the opening round.
Coached by veteran Jamie Fishlow and captained by seniors Sean Hassett, Will Weber, Matthew Minicozzi and Matthew Levinson, the roster consisted of 11 energetic players.
Huntington compiled an 8-8 regular season record and went 9-9 overall. The Blue Devils were recognized as Large School West Elite 8 champion by virtue of finishing in the top eight in the team standings.
Hassett (University of South Carolina), Weber (SUNY College at Geneseo) and Minicozzi (St. John’s University) all played to All-League honors with Hassett also being named the Blue Devils’ county sportsmanship award recipient.
Hassett was honored as Huntington’s Most Valuable senior with Minicozzi and Weber capturing Coaches Awards at the 54th annual Blue Devil senior athletic awards ceremony.
“Sean Hassett was our best player,” Fishlow said. “He never backed down at No. 1 singles and played the best opponents in the county. He improved over the course of the season and was a great leader for the team. He’s a gentleman on and off the court.”
Weber proved his worth at both singles and doubles. “Will is a versatile player who accepted all challenges when needed for the good of the team,” Fishlow said. “He’s a strong volleyer at the net and an asset to all young players.”
Ninth graders Ryan Scanlon and Nicholas Plachta were outstanding in No. 1 doubles. “They are two freshmen who have a great future,” Fishlow said. “They combine natural talent with hard work and focus on skill development. I’m looking forward to seeing what the future brings.”
Minicozzi and junior Logan Toth went 12-6 at No. 3 doubles, helping Huntington to reach the postseason for the first time since 2017. The Blue Devils rallied from a mid-season slump to finish at .500.
“This team was a very tight unit,” Fishlow said. “It was a combination of senior experience and young talent. They were very cohesive and this led to our playoff run. I actually wish the season was longer because all of the young players were just starting to understand my expectations for the team, improve on skills and strategies and show maturity on and off the court.”
Looking ahead to next year, Scanlon and Plachta are looking to move into the singles lineup. Toth, who started coming into his own, is also expected to play a larger role on the team. Incoming junior Lucas Spagnoletti is a skilled player who will continue to strengthen his skills as he gains more experience with match play. Tyler Godin, another incoming junior, shows great energy on the court and is ready to stake a claim as one of the Blue Devils’ best. Rising senior Timothy Kusterbeck also continues to work hard on his game “and things are starting to click,” Fishlow said. Eli Soric, an incoming junior, is also coming back.
Along with its three senior award recipients, Huntington is also saying goodbye to Levinson, who is headed to Syracuse University.
“We are always in a very strong division, but we will continue to compete at our highest level,” Fishlow said.