Syosset Wins Second Straight New York State Title
One of the things that Syosset tennis has been known for over the years is the depth of its roster. No matter how tight a match is or the amount of pressure on, the Braves know it can count on anyone in the lineup to deliver a clutch performance.
That theme was on display once again on Friday at the USTA Billie Jean Kinig National Tennis Center as Syosset repeated as the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Division I Champions, defeating Section I’s Mamaroneck 4-2 in the finals.
“We knew that if we were going to repeat and win the state title again we were going to have to win our doubles matches, and that’s what we did today,” said Syosset senior Ryan Jiang. “The pressure was on all of us, and we all to had to perform, and everyone played out of their minds. We worked hard all year in practice and in matches. Our team is a family, and it’s amazing how we persevered together.”
Jiang played a vital role in the state championship as he and Aayan Mehta won 7-6(7), 6-0 at second doubles to clinch their team’s victory.
“We did get a little tight in the first set, but we regained our skill set and played our game,” said Mehta. “Everyone here plays for each other. This [Jiang] is my guy, I play amazing with him. We have so much chemistry together. Our whole team wanted this really badly.”
Spencer Keschner & Jacob Prince got the Braves started as they won 6-1, 6-1 at first doubles to put their team ahead at the start. At fourth doubles, Svid Chadha & Ansh Jolly were 6-3, 6-3 winners, while Veyd Trivedi & Terrence Moy won 6-1, 7-5 winners at third doubles.
For Mamaroneck, Maxim Kalinin was a 6-2, 6-1 victor at first singles, while Jinyang Li notched a 6-1, 6-0 win at third singles to give the Tigers their two points.
With three flights won, Jiang & Mehta saw their teammates gather by their court with the state title on the line. The pairing closed out the match with a dominant second set as the Braves defended their championship.
“I knew Ryan would come through because he is a clutch player, just like Aayan is, just like everyone on the this team is,” said Syosset head coach Shai Fisher. “They know they can come through in these types of situations, so I’m super proud of Ryan and Aayan, and for Ryan to be able to do this in his senior year makes this even more special.”
The victory caps off what was an a-typical season for Syosset. Heading into this season as the defending Nassau County, Long Island and New York State Champions, the Braves dropped two matches in the early part of the regular season.
After falling to 4-2, the team’s leaders addressed their team on the bus ride home, a moment that turned out to be a turning point.
“When leaders on the team feel it’s necessary to speak up, it sends an important message to the team. Because they can get tired of me talking real quick,” Fisher added. “So when guys on the team feel that way, it carries a lot of weight. We’re a team and we rely on everyone. Our doubles teams stepped up and swept, they did a tremendous job. Every year you have to earn it, this year, with new players and different combinations, we had to earn it a different way than in years past. This year’s team did it their own way, and I am super proud of them for that.”
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