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Final Score: St. Luke's 4 Hopkins 3
Date played: Wednesday, December 5
Played at: New Haven
Individual results:
1. TJ Dembinski (H) def. James Watson, 11/8, 8/11, 11/6, 11/4.
2. Spencer Lovejoy (H) def. Alex Kamisher, 11/9, 11/5, 13/11.
3. Jack McLean (H) def Clay Kontulis, 11/6, 13/11, 12/10.
4. Robert Morris (SL) def. Justin Lee, 3/11, 11/8, 11/7, 11/13, 12/10.
5. Ned Mylod (SL) def. Nader Rastegar, 10/12, 9/11, 12/10, 10/12, 11/8.
6. Chris Bloomer (SL) def. Griffin Smilow, 11/8, 11/4, 11/4.
7. Morgan Simmond (SL) def. Theo Wuest, 11/7, 11/8, 11/6.
Team Records:
St. Luke's: 1--0
Hopkins: 1--1
Varsity Boys Squash vs. St. Luke's, Dec 5
Hopkins hosted its second dual meet match of the season on
Wednesday, December 5th against a strong and experienced St. Luke's
team. One year ago, Hopkins had faced off against St. Luke's a total
of three times, coming out ahead twice but coming up short once. All
three of those matches a year ago featured a number of very close
individual matches. So we expected a very close team match this year
as well--and that indeed turned out to be the case. Unfortunately for
Hopkins, senior tri-captain Doug Schaffer had been injured the day
before and was unable to participate. It also turned out that St.
Luke's had taken in several new, experienced squash recruits. We
started with the odd numbered ranked matches. Hopkins' #7 player,
Theo Wuest, found himself paired up with St. Luke's Morgan Simmonds,
who had played number 4 against us a year ago, and though Theo worked
hard to keep the ball deep, Morgan's greater experience prevailed,
coming up with an 11/7, 11/8, 11/6 victory to put St. Luke's out in
front, 1--0. But Hopkins' Jack McLean at #3 evened the score by
defeating St. Luke's Clay Kontulis with good deep rail shots,
opportunistic volleys, and occasional short shots to win his match
11/6, 13/11, 12/10 in a very well fought contest. A key match turned
out to be the #5 singles, with Hopkins' Nader Rastegar facing off
against the Crusaders' Ned Mylod. Though Nader won two close games to
jump out ahead, the tide seemed to turn gradually, as his St. Luke's
opponent won games three and four, also by very close scores. The
fifth game went back and forth until Ned hit several key winning shots
to take the match, 3 games to 2. Hopkins #1 star and tri-captain TJ
Dembinski played against St. Luke's James Watson, who proved to be a
strong challenge to TJ. But TJ finally prevailed, 11/8, 8/11, 11/6,
11/4. This squared the match 2--2, as the even numbered players took
to the courts for round two of our contest.
At #7 singles, St. Luke's Chris Bloomer managed to keep Hopkins'
Griffin Smilow in the back left hand corner where Griffin had to play
defensively, and Chris prevailed 3--0 to put St. Luke's out in front,
3 matches to 2. But Spencer Lovejoy at #2 singles drew upon his great
reservoir of strokes and shots to overcome St. Luke's Alex Kamisher
(whom Spencer had defeated 3--2 and 3--1 a year ago), this time by the
score of 11/9, 11/5, 13/11. Now the match was 3--3, coming down to
the #4 singles match, pitting Hopkins junior Justin Lee against St.
Luke's senior Robert Morris (who had defeated Jack McLean twice, 3--2
and 3--1, a year ago). Both players traded sound ground strokes with
consistent and steady play. Justin started out strongly, winning the
first game 11/3; but then Robert used his experience and strength to
force Justin into the back court and prevailed in games 2 and 3. The
fourth game was nip and tuck with neither player able to forge out a
consistent lead. Though Justin was down one match point in game 4, he
eventually held on to prevail and win game 4, evening the contest at
two games apiece. So the team match all came down to one final game.
With players from both teams watching and cheering this one final
game, Justin managed to get a lead of several points before succumbing
to Robert's driving ground strokes by a razor thin 10--12 margin, thus
enabling St. Luke's to emerge triumphant as a team, 4--3. Hopkins
will get a second chance against St. Luke's when we travel to New
Canaan for a second match on Wednesday, January 9.
Varsity Boys Squash vs. St. Luke's, Dec 5
Hopkins hosted its second dual meet match of the season on
Wednesday, December 5th against a strong and experienced St. Luke's
team. One year ago, Hopkins had faced off against St. Luke's a total
of three times, coming out ahead twice but coming up short once. All
three of those matches a year ago featured a number of very close
individual matches. So we expected a very close team match this year
as well--and that indeed turned out to be the case. Unfortunately for
Hopkins, senior tri-captain Doug Schaffer had been injured the day
before and was unable to participate. It also turned out that St.
Luke's had taken in several new, experienced squash recruits. We
started with the odd numbered ranked matches. Hopkins' #7 player,
Theo Wuest, found himself paired up with St. Luke's Morgan Simmonds,
who had played number 4 against us a year ago, and though Theo worked
hard to keep the ball deep, Morgan's greater experience prevailed,
coming up with an 11/7, 11/8, 11/6 victory to put St. Luke's out in
front, 1--0. But Hopkins' Jack McLean at #3 evened the score by
defeating St. Luke's Clay Kontulis with good deep rail shots,
opportunistic volleys, and occasional short shots to win his match
11/6, 13/11, 12/10 in a very well fought contest. A key match turned
out to be the #5 singles, with Hopkins' Nader Rastegar facing off
against the Crusaders' Ned Mylod. Though Nader won two close games to
jump out ahead, the tide seemed to turn gradually, as his St. Luke's
opponent won games three and four, also by very close scores. The
fifth game went back and forth until Ned hit several key winning shots
to take the match, 3 games to 2. Hopkins #1 star and tri-captain TJ
Dembinski played against St. Luke's James Watson, who proved to be a
strong challenge to TJ. But TJ finally prevailed, 11/8, 8/11, 11/6,
11/4. This squared the match 2--2, as the even numbered players took
to the courts for round two of our contest.
At #7 singles, St. Luke's Chris Bloomer managed to keep Hopkins'
Griffin Smilow in the back left hand corner where Griffin had to play
defensively, and Chris prevailed 3--0 to put St. Luke's out in front,
3 matches to 2. But Spencer Lovejoy at #2 singles drew upon his great
reservoir of strokes and shots to overcome St. Luke's Alex Kamisher
(whom Spencer had defeated 3--2 and 3--1 a year ago), this time by the
score of 11/9, 11/5, 13/11. Now the match was 3--3, coming down to
the #4 singles match, pitting Hopkins junior Justin Lee against St.
Luke's senior Robert Morris (who had defeated Jack McLean twice, 3--2
and 3--1, a year ago). Both players traded sound ground strokes with
consistent and steady play. Justin started out strongly, winning the
first game 11/3; but then Robert used his experience and strength to
force Justin into the back court and prevailed in games 2 and 3. The
fourth game was nip and tuck with neither player able to forge out a
consistent lead. Though Justin was down one match point in game 4, he
eventually held on to prevail and win game 4, evening the contest at
two games apiece. So the team match all came down to one final game.
With players from both teams watching and cheering this one final
game, Justin managed to get a lead of several points before succumbing
to Robert's driving ground strokes by a razor thin 10--12 margin, thus
enabling St. Luke's to emerge triumphant as a team, 4--3. Hopkins
will get a second chance against St. Luke's when we travel to New
Canaan for a second match on Wednesday, January 9.
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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.
