Hana Deckman clinches Harborfields' Suffolk large school girls tennis title
Hana Deckman of Harborfields returns with her forehand shot during the Suffolk large school girls team tennis championship against Half Hollow Hills East in Greenlawn on Friday, October 28, 2022. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
It all came down to Hana Deckman.
Deckman needed to pull out a victory for the Harborfields girls tennis team. She came through with a 7-6 (5), 3-6, 7-5 win in second singles over Angie Malik to give No. 1 Harborfields the Suffolk large school championship crown on Friday with a 5-2 victory over No. 2 Half Hollow Hills East..
“I was really nervous and my arms felt like Jell-o,” Deckman said. “But the crowd watching helped me focus on staying consistent and making my opponent run.”
“We knew how good this team was,” Harborfields coach Jimmy Delevante said. “It came down to a few points in a few matches and the girls were unbelievably strong and tough until the last possible second.”
Christina Zhao took the first match, 6-3, 6-2, at third singles for Hills East. Josie Rudloff and Carsen Rittberger countered with a 6-4, 6-2 win at first doubles for Harborfields.
In a fierce match at first singles that led to the first of three matches that went three sets, Hills East’s Victoria Czoch defeated Zoe Sbarra-Vaughan, 1-6, 6-4, 6-0. Then Harborfields, tandem of Victoria Frangione and Briana Coakley took second doubles, 6-3, 6-4, using a mixture of lobs and strong serves.
Tensions rose high, but Isabella Frangione and Allie Bigelow didn’t look the slightest bit unnerved at third doubles as they gave Harborfields the lead with a 6-3, 6-2 win.
“We kept fighting even when it was getting more and more intense,” Frangione said.
After the Tornadoes stormed the court following Deckman’s title clincher, they watched as sister Aya Deckman was still battling Anjali Raza at fourth singles in the deciding set of the final match.
“I was up 5-2, then she came back, and it was 5-5,” Aya Deckman said. “But I couldn’t let my team down.”
Deckman won the match, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, and topped off Harborfields’ hard-fought win.
“They bend but never break,” Delevante said. “I’m incredibly proud of them.”
Harborfields will face Port Washington in the Long Island large schools championship on Tuesday at 2 p.m.
