During a season riddled with safety precautions and uncertainty, the boys varsity tennis team has found success, winning matches and developing their skills under talented Head Coach Andy Krugman.
The squad currently stands at 3-4, suffering close losses to Hopkins and Green Farms Academy, while also achieving signature wins against Marianapolis and Hamden Hall. The team is led by captain Jacob Schwartz, as well as senior Jaden Weinstein, who plays No. 1 in the lineup.
In their first match of the season, KO faced a particularly strong team in Hopkins, who defeated them 7-0. “They were good,” Coach Krugman noted. “They were solid, and they were deep.” However, the team quickly rebounded, defeating Marianapolis 6-1, even while missing two starters.
The team then moved on to Hamden Hall, whom they beat 7-0. Coach Krugman attributes the Wyverns’ victory to the tenacity and determination of the team. “Three matches went to a super tiebreaker, and the doubles point was very close,” he said. “In a weird way, it could have been a 4-3 match, and we ended up winning 7-0, so the score didn’t really reflect how competitive it was.”
The team has faced plenty of obstacles throughout the course of the season; they were forced to start the season later than usual, they had a smaller number of players than in previous seasons, and the team was largely inexperienced due to the cancelation of the 2020 season. Additionally, many boarding schools KO would traditionally play were not available, and the team was forced to schedule different opponents.
Before the season began, the team suffered another tough blow, as their top player, junior Max-William Kanz, had broken his wrist and was unable to play. In response, a multitude of players stepped up, and Coach Krugman recruited two seventh-graders to complete the roster.
After all of this, the team still had to deal with the problems associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The team has taken this in stride, focusing on the positives as well as what is in their control. “We’ve done our best, and we’re lucky to have a season during [COVID-19],” junior Koby Braunstein said. “Others aren’t as fortunate.”
Many members of the team have found that Coach Krugman has been integral to their success this season, keeping the team united and prepared for challenges ahead. “I love Mr. Krugman as a coach,” Braunstein said. “He’s a great communicator, and then he also does a really good job of listening to everyone else.”
Looking ahead to the matches the squad has left to play, the Wyverns hope to capitalize on their skills and utilise their full potential. “The team has to work on our mental game,” Weinstein said. “We have to work on staying focused throughout the whole match, and we need to work on staying positive, as Coach Krugman says is the key to a great season.”
Despite various setbacks and challenges, the varsity boys tennis team has stayed strong. Their determination, combined with stellar play, has propelled them to a 3-4 record, as they set their sights on finishing out another successful year.
