Nassau boys tennis: Cold Spring Harbor even better

CONFERENCE 1A

For one day last season, Cold Spring Harbor was on a level playing field with the rest of Long Island.

Their regular starters were replaced by departing seniors in honor of senior recognition day and it resulted in their only loss of the season.

A nearly unbeatable team that has won two straight Long Island championships added more talent than it lost. All-State junior Eric Ambrosio is an aggressive baseliner but is not afraid to attack the net. Sophomore Josh Levine has lost only one match in two years. Conor Dauer will be tough to beat at third singles. Jensen Reiter and Alex Tropiano join forces for a chance to win in doubles at states.

Jericho's strength will be at singles, where senior Brandon Lee will be joined by newcomer Sam Lam, a highly ranked USTA freshman who could make an impact.

Syosset has a young team that could surprise behind Kevin Katz and Stephen Peng.

For Port Washington, Jason Hubsher handles first singles and Ben Spivack and Luke Record are yet to lose a match as they enter their fourth year playing doubles.

Alex Friedlich tops a strong singles unit for Great Neck North that also includes Paul Abadescu, a sophomore with upside.

Great Neck South faces a difficult task with no returning singles players but has a young team with a lot of parity.

CONFERENCE 1B

Roslyn is led by Austin Blau, a lefty with beautiful ground strokes, and Alexander Werman, who is coming off a respectable showing in the counties.

It's hard to get a ball past Friends Academy sophomore Andrew Yaraghi, who along with junior John Defrancesch, finished third in the state in doubles.

Long Beach features two top players with different styles in Eric Rubin, who prefers to play from the baseline, and Matty Berry, who attacks the net.

Hewlett features a more experienced group this season but their strength is at first singles with the solid serve-and-volley game of JJ Tauil.

Wheatley has a pair of steady players in Ben Freeberg and Zach Lessen but is a young team that might be a year away from a deep run.

South Side rode a strong doubles lineup that went 48-0 to an undefeated season in Conference 2. Returning doubles players include Matt Cope, Jessie Weiss, and Craig Shelley.

Conference 1 may be the only conference that competes for the Long Island championship, but there is individual talent outside of the conference that could threaten in counties and states. None more so than Garden City's Zach Morris, who finished second in the county last season, and Plainview JFK's Corey Morgenstem, who has lost just four matches in three years.