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Hopkins Hilltoppers Hustle but Suffer Second 4--3 Loss to St. Lukes
On Wednesday, January 9, the Hopkins boys varsity squash team
resumed its interscholastic schedule with its second match of the
season against Fairchester Squash League rival St. Luke's School. St.
Luke's had a veteran team with its entire group of last year's players
returning as well as one new 8th grade standout player. Hopkins, on
the other hand, was led by #1 tri-captain and star player, TJ
Dembinski, as well as ninth grader Spencer Lovejoy, who had finished
3rd out of 128 players in a national under 15 singles event. The last
time these two teams met, the final outcome was decided by several
five game matches in which players from each team held match points.
This time it turned out that there were no five game matches.
Match play began with the even numbered players taking the court.
At #2 singles, Spencer Lovejoy found it difficult to adjust his touch
and drop shot play against St. Luke's older and more powerful #2
player James Watson (who had taken a game against TJ Dembinski at #1
singles last month) and dropped an 11/2, 10/12, 11/6, 11/7 decision.
But then senior tri-captain Jack McLean, recently accepted at Williams
College, evened the score with a steady and determined victory over
Christian Walsh (who had played at the #3 singles position for St.
Luke's a year ago and who had won against Hopkins three times, 12/10,
11/7, 11/9. And things began to look hopeful for Hopkins when Nader
Rastegar at #6 defeated Clay Kontulis in a hard fought match in which
Nader used a good combination of shots with depth and drop shots,
winning 11/6, 5/11, 11/7, 11/7. So Hopkins was up two matches to one
after the first round of play. Then the odd numbered players took to
the court.
The first match done was at #7 singles, where 8th grade and left
handed player Ned Mylod for St. Luke's used his powerful forehand
drive to keep Hopkins' Theo Wuest at bay, 11/3, 11/5, 11/3. But this
loss was balanced by TJ Dembinski's dominating performance against St.
Luke's Alex Kamisher, 11/3, 11/2, 11/2. TJ, by the way, is headed to
Yale University to play squash next year. This victory put the match
score at: Hopkins 3, St. Luke's 2.
That proved to be Hopkins' final hurrah, though. Tri-captain Doug
Schaffer at #3 singles scratched and clawed his way back to win the
second game of his match against an experienced and accurate Robert
Morris from St. Luke's, and wound up dropping an 11/6, 10/12, 11/3,
11/8 decision. This put the match on the line as Hopkins' Justin Lee
at #5 faced St. Luke's Morgan Simmonds, who had played one year ago at
the #4 and #5 singles position against Hopkins. Justin, using his
left handed forehand, got off to a strong start, mingling deep shots
with accurately placed drop shots tight to the side wall, and winning
game 1 handily. But Justin's touch deserted him in game two and
Morgan used his previous varsity experience to turn the tables and
force Justin into the back court, coming from behind to win going
away, 3/11, 11/3, 11/6, 11/2, and clinch the match for St. Luke's,
4--3. Next on Hopkins schedule will be an away match vs. the Choate
varsity on Tuesday, January 15.Final Score:
Individual results:
1. TJ Dembinski (H) def. Alex Kamisher, 11/3, 11/2, 11/2.
2. James Watson (SL) def. Spencer Lovejoy, 11/2, 10/12, 11/7, 11/6.
3. Robert Morris (SL) def. Doug Schaffer, 11/6, 10/12, 11/3, 11/8.
4. Jack McLean (H) def. Christian Walsh, 12/10, 11/7, 11/9.
5. Morgan Simmons (SL) def. Justin Lee, 3/11, 11/3, 11/6, 11/2.
6. Nader Rastegar (H) def. Clay Kontulis, 11/6, 5/11, 11/7, 11/7.
7. Ned Mylod (SL) def. Theo Wuest, 11/3, 11/5, 11/3.
Team Records:
St. Luke's: 5--1
Hopkins: 4--3
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Hopkins is a private middle school and high school for grades 7-12. Located on a campus overlooking New Haven, CT, the School takes pride in its intellectually curious students as well as its dedicated faculty and staff.
