Reigning Division III National Champions, Andover Boys Squash squashed Tabor with a 6-1 victory on Saturday.
The team opens this season attempting to carry over the power and skills that led it to an 8-9 Interscholastic record and Championship title last season. With the win against Tabor and a well-fought scrimmage against Belmont Hill, one of the top three teams in the country, the team has started the season on a strong note.
Second-year Captain and number-one player Michael Huang ’15 is leading a relatively fresh-blooded team. Having graduated six Seniors last season, Andover has five returning players this year, including Huang.
Returners Ji Seok Kim ’15, Justin Curtis ’15, Robby Schwartz ’15, Reid Bradt ’15, who was abroad in an School Year Abroad China program last season, and Jack Quamme ’16 are joined by Teddy Lasry ’16 and Addison Davenport ’15, who played on Junior Varsity last season, and two Juniors, Ishaan Patel ’18 and Max Fern ’18.
In Andover’s match against Tabor, the first three seeds controlled their opponents, with first- and third-seed players, Huang and Bradt, shutting out Tabor 3-0. Second seed Curtis beat his opponent 3-1. Andover’s fourth, fifth and sixth seed players, Quamme, Patel and Lasry, also had crushing 3-0 victories. Davenport lost his match in a 3-2 battle.
“I really like the team’s flavor this year. Although some might say that our deep ladder is our biggest asset, I would argue that the players’ positive, cooperative demeanors will help us succeed as the season progresses. We have a great group of guys with a strong collective game, and we’re hopeful that our season will reflect the strong qualities we know we possess as a team,” Schwartz wrote in an email to The Phillipian.
Newcomers had to step up to the challenge last season, when the team was plagued with injuries, to earn the team its national title. Similarly, the new talent this year is expected to boost the team’s level.
“We have a few young guys who are doing well and adjusting to high school squash fairly well this early in the season,” Quamme wrote in an email to The Phillipian.
Andover will face off against Choate, Exeter and Taft away on January 10, looking to remain undefeated in regular season matches.
