Kevin Wu ’29 leans in for a shot against his opponent.
Andover: 7, Westminster/Choate: 0
Andover: 7, Exeter: 0
Boys Squash delivered a commanding weekend of results, sweeping Choate and Westminster on Saturday and Phillips Exeter Academy (Exeter) on Wednesday. Through its wins, the team reinforced a clear identity of disciplined shot selection, improved mental toughness, and a new focus on fitness as it heads towards nationals.
Andover opened with emphatic 7-0 wins over Choate and Westminster. While Westminster sat lower in the ladder and provided fewer key matchups, the team treated them with the same seriousness as any other. Franklin praised the team for its consistent success.
“Seeing lower numbers on those easier matches against Westminster is pretty good, as it’s been pretty team-wide. The biggest battle has been managing our errors and what we can control,” said Kozol.
According to Kozol, Jonathan Xu ’28 stood out against Choate. Xu played a familiar opponent, Elias Starr. He controlled his match from the opening rally and maintained a tone that was emulated across the ladder.
“Most people thought that match was going to be a little bit closer than it was, but Johnny was pretty much in control. He was winning the mental battle and the physical battle. I’d say he’s the better squash player. I got to catch the third game. It was relatively close, like 5-all. All of Elias’ attacks, Johnny was picking up. It was clear Elias was in his own head, disappointed with how he’s playing,” said Kozol.
Another key contributor was Corey Shen ’26, who handled one of the more experienced opponents the team faced over the weekend. Despite a handful of creative shots from the other side, Shen absorbed the pressure calmly and put on a performance that reflected the team’s emphasis on staying steady regardless of opponent quality.
“The guy Corey played was hitting a few good shots, but he handled it pretty well. It was still an easy match. [His opponent] was hitting a couple lucky shots, but Corey was standing up to it as he does,” said Kozol.
The team rose to the moment in an electric atmosphere on the road against Exeter, completing a third 7-0 sweep. While many matches were decided quickly, the defining moment belonged to Ali Gamal ’26. After falling behind late, he rallied back in front of a loud crowd, eventually closing out a dramatic game, demonstrating the team’s resilient mindset.
“I didn’t see [Gamal’s] first game, but the score was 18-16, which is really close. And he was losing to someone who was rated below him, so it’s just important for Ali to come back. And there are a lot of people watching so the atmosphere really picked up. Ali was down 10-6 in the fourth game, so if he lost, it would have gone to the fifth game. And Ali was visually really tired, but he somehow came back. Andover JV and Andover Varsity were all cheering for Ali. It was incredible,” said Wu.
Xu further commented on the team’s preparation for its matchup against Exeter. While Exeter was not a strong team, it was still thoroughly prepared to perform to its best abilities.
“We were going in expecting to win, but we weren’t underestimating them. We had to practice the day before. We’re just trying to go there, dominate, and get back home quickly and do some homework. We did that. We crushed them,” said Xu.
The team’s next matchup against St. George’s on Wednesday will be its last before High School Nationals.
