Newsday's All-Long Island boys tennis team 2023

Newsday Player of the Year: Edward Liao, Commack, Jr.

Everyone knew that a season like this was coming for Edward Liao. The Commack junior clearly was a talent from the moment he began playing high school tennis in seventh grade, and every season his game seemed to ascend. In 2023, Liao finally reached the summit.

Liao capped a 23-0 season by winning the state public school singles championship at the USTA National Tennis Center. He is the first Commack player to win the title, according to state records. Liao also was Newsday’s Player of the Year in 2021, though no state tournament was held that season.

Along the way, he won 17 first singles matches to lead the Cougars to the Section XI large schools title and then followed that up by winning his third straight Suffolk individual singles championship. The three-time All-Long Island pick hasn’t lost to a Suffolk opponent in three years.

Nassau Player of the Year: Stephan Gershfeld, Hewlett, Sr.

Best known for his versatile, unpredictable game and high-level skills, Gershfeld showed he had great determination in capturing his third straight Nassau singles title. He battled through severe cramping that prevented him from being able to serve and limited his mobility to defeat the formidable Ajer Sher of Jericho. After winning match point, he had to be helped from the court.

The 2022 state singles champion made a strong bid to repeat only to fall short in the semifinals. The three-time All-Long Island selection finished the season with a 21-2 record in singles and will play for the University of Pennsylvania.

Singles

Drew Hassenbein, Roslyn, 8th Grader

Nicknamed “Hollywood,” the dynamic underclassman with a superlative game earns his second All-Long Island selection one year after going 15-4 at first singles to help Roslyn win the county crown. This season, Hassenbein was 8-2 before he and teammate Ethan Falkowitz were tragically killed in a May 3 automobile accident.

Albert Hu, Great Neck South, Jr.

The savvy southpaw went 9-4 at first singles to lead the Rebels to the Nassau semifinals. Individually, the two-time All-Long Island pick took third at the county singles tournament then won the sportsmanship award and reached the Round of 16 to finish with a 14-6 record.

Ajer Sher, Jericho, Sr.

He returned after three years of home schooling to make a huge splash by reaching the Nassau title match and finishing seventh in the state tournament. Sher finished 21-4 overall and will attend the University of Chicago in the fall.

Bryan Volk, Half Hollow Hills West, Jr.

On one of the season’s grittiest performances, he came back from one set down to win county quarterfinal and semifinal matches in a single day. Volk reached the Round of 16 in the state tournament and was 19-4 in all matches.

Doubles

Russell Notaris (Jr.) and Alistair Wright (Sr.), Friends Academy

The Quakers (17-2) won Nassau and Long Island championships and reached the state small school title match with Notaris stationed at first singles and Wright chipping in at both singles and doubles. They opted to team for the Nassau individual championships and made the final before finishing sixth in the state tournament. In singles and doubles, Notaris was a combined 20-10 and Wright was 19-8.

Devan Melandro (So.) and Nikhil Shah (Fr.), Syosset

The duo capped a spectacular season as key contributors to Syosset’s state large school team championship, winning together in doubles at the Nassau individual championships and finished seventh in the state tournament. All totaled, Shah was 18-1 in singles and 10-2 in doubles; Melandro was 2-0 in singles – in the state team semis and final – and 21-5 overall in doubles.

Gabe Bursztyn (Jr.) and Shashank Pennabadi (So.), Ward Melville

A pair of two-time All-Long Island picks, each became half of the Suffolk County Champion for a second time and first time together. Their play all over the lineup helped Ward Melville to the Suffolk team final. Pennabadi was 10-0 at singles 18-1 in all his doubles matches; Bursztyn was 6-1 and 25-1. After teaming for the county title, they finished third in the state.

Bobby Stabile (Jr.) and Giancarlo Volpe (So.), Westhampton

The Hurricanes reached the Suffolk quarterfinals, largely due to Stabile going 8-4 at first singles and Volpe going 12-1 at second singles. Teamed for individual championships, they went an aggregate 14-4, reaching the Suffolk championship match and state quarterfinals.

Coach of the Year: KerriAnn Jannotte-Hinkley, Roslyn

Janotte-Hinkley was thrust into a position that no coach can imagine when two members of her team were tragically killed and two others seriously injured in a May car accident. She helped guide the Bulldogs through unthinkable grief and eventually back onto the courts with grace and care while simultaneously coping with her own deep sense of sorrow.

By Roger Rubin

roger.rubin@newsday.com@rogrubin

Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.