As three-time state champions, the Syosset boys’ tennis team has some “surreal” highlights to it, including a 14-0 regular season conference record.
At the state level, the team faced off against Washingtonville in the semi-finals before going against Bethlehem in the title match, earning a “three-peat” victory for the program.
“No this does not get old,” said Coach Shai Fisher at the Monday, June 9. Board of education meeting, where 16 of the team’s students were recognized as All-County players.
“What was unique about this team was how each young man—from seasoned veteran to newcomer—all they wanted to do was improve their game,” Fisher said.
But Fisher isn’t the only one to think so. Team captains Nikhil Shah and Veyd Trivedi agreed that their teammates showcased a strong dedication to the sport.
Shah, a junior who has been on the team for five years, and Trivedi, a senior who has been on the team for four years, are two of six players who have played for the team at all three state victories.
Trivedi said the high school’s three-peat is a “testament to the strength of the program as a whole.”
“Over the last five years, we’ve been very fortunate that every single kid, almost, has come back and not only came back to play, but came back stronger,” Shah said. The team was almost “brand new” when he joined in middle school, he said.
Fisher, who has been with the program for 17 years, said in the past few years, he has noticed that more team members are committed to the sport year-round.
Trivedi said coming into this season, the team had lost eight seniors from last year, four of whom were in the starting lineup and one of whom was a team captain. Going into the first few matches of the season, he said their lineup had not been set, with doubles pairings changing from game to game
“We were still able to pull off wins and establish strength and good confidence in our lineup,” he said.
But the Syosset team did not back down from the challenge, putting in an undefeated season.
Trivedi said the closest score in the season was a 4-3 win against Great Neck South, one of their biggest competitors in the county. He said the team also faced off against tough competitors, including Port Washington, Roslyn and Manhasset.
“It was a very strong season throughout,” Trivedi said.
In one of the toughest matches of the season, Trivedi said the team traveled to Westchester for a regional competition against Horace Greeley High School. Trivedi said it was a challenging match, but the team earned the best win he had seen in his four years in the program.
“Winning that match was for me, at least, the biggest win for our team this year,” Shah said. He said it was “surreal” to watch the team take the victory.
As the team stepped up to take their third state championship, Shah and Trivedi said it was important to play the game as usual, fending off pressure and focusing on the game.
Shah said his mindset was that “we have to play the same game we’ve been playing all season.” He said he was familiar with the competition and, for the most part, was not expecting many surprises at the state championship.
Trivedi said you can never be sure, however, that a match will go a certain way “because tennis is not a very consistent sport and anything could happen.”
“We couldn’t get complacent or take anything for granted,” he said.
The team’s camaraderie doesn’t stop on the court.
Trivedi said the team goes out to eat together after every game, whether it’s to get pizza, sushi or hibachi.
“I think that bonding over a nice meal is always a really special memory,” he said.
Many of the team’s traditions revolve around food, Shah joked. He said the first weekend after try-outs, the entire team goes to the diner to meet the rookies for the first time and re-establish old friendships. He said the breakfast helps “build team character.”
Every year the youngest player gets a piece of cake at the diner, a tradition started by Fisher, Shah said.
Fisher said that for the most part, he leaves team bonding activities up to the captains, whether that be scrimmages against the girls’ team or games at practices.
“If they’re excited for it, they’re going to get the rest of the team excited for it,” he said.
