Boys tennis notebook: Syosset captures Nassau titles in team competition, doubles
Syosset's Spencer Keschner and his doubles partner Dylan Apfel helped clinch the Nassau County team championship on Thursday when they rallied back after losing the first set. Credit: Dawn McCormick
Syosset edged Roslyn, 4-3, to capture the Nassau County team championship at Eisenhower Park on Thursday.
The match between the two rivals came down to third doubles, which went to a decisive third set. Sophomore Dylan Apfel and freshman Spencer Keschner dropped the first set, 4-6, but rallied to take the next two, 6-4, 6-4, to clinch the title for Syosset.
"We didn’t want to think about it too much… but we had an idea," Keschner said of the match coming down to his court.
"We were aware of the surroundings and people coming off the courts around us," Apfel added, "so we knew we needed to win that match."
The victory gives Syosset its fifth Nassau title in the past six seasons. The Syosset girls team also captured the Nassau title this season.
Syosset will face the Suffolk County team champion on June 18, for the Long Island championship.
Doubles champs
Syosset's Brian Gao teamed up with Jeremy Levine to take the doubles championship on June 5. Credit: Dawn McCormick
Syosset seniors Brian Gao and Jeremy Levine won the Nassau doubles championship on June 5. The duo defeated Roslyn’s Gavin Koo and Ethan Solop, 6-2, 6-2, in the final.
Gao and Levine played as singles competitors during the season but teamed up for the county tournament. Gao said he and Levine had been planning this since their "freshman year." Gao attributed their success to their contrasting play styles and matching pink shorts.
Levine had a strong stretch this week. In addition to winning the doubles title, he was Syosset’s only singles winner in the team championship on Thursday. When asked about his win. he looked toward the future, "There’s still one more left," Levine said. "The job isn’t finished."
