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07/25/2022 10:46 AMThe Westbrook boys’ tennis team emphasizes three components of the game every time the Knights step on the court: skill development, match strategy, and mental toughness. Head Coach Dan Shapiro’s squad focused intently on each component this year and wound up enjoying another strong season in 2022. Westbrook finished the campaign with an overall record of 16-3 and made an appearance in the semifinals of the Class S State Tournament.
As the No. 3 seed, Westbrook earned wins versus No. 14 seed East Catholic (5-2) and No. 6 Litchfield (4-2) in the first two rounds of the Class S bracket. The Knights then went up against a Granby squad that they had lost to in last year’s state final, taking a 6-1 defeat in the contest.
Coach Shapiro was impressed with Westbrook’s regular-season record of 14-2 and felt that his group had the right attitude to make another playoff run. Westbrook had big shoes to fill after losing several top players from last year’s team that went undefeated in the regular season, but Shapiro said that the Knights exceeded the expectations they set for themselves this spring.
“Each year is a different year, and I wanted this team to find an identity after coming off of an undefeated season and a state final loss. The team exceeded expectations, even my expectations by quite a bit,” Coach Shapiro said. “I think our experience last year really helped us. They were really wanted to make a run. They really felt like they had a chance to make a run.”
Westbrook started off the 2022 season by posting 5-2 victories over East Hampton and Old Lyme in its first two contests. At the time, Coach Shapiro was using the initial matches and practices to figure out his team’s identity and the Knights’ ideal lineup. Westbrook’s victory against Old Lyme showed Shapiro that he had a special team this season.
“We had a very tough match with Old Lyme, who had a lot of good players, early. It really showed the mental toughness that we talk about,” said Shapiro. “We were really able to build some confidence with that match. The early win over Old Lyme really started to make the team believe that if we stuck to our system, we had a chance.”
Shapiro’s coaching principles stuck with the team throughout the course of the season. While facing the hardships of a long and grueling campaign, including an early injury to No. 1 singles player, senior captain Joey Caslin, the Knights adhered to their approach and devoted themselves to improving in all aspects every time they stepped between the baselines.
“The consistent theme and discussing what mental toughness is and what match strategy is really helps the kids. The message is very consistent. There’s a lot of genuine communication about it,” Shapiro said. “When there’s a problem, we address it right away, and the kids are able to hear constructive criticism. They know that we have a plan and, if they stick to the plan, our chances are pretty good.”
On the heels of a great regular season, Westbrook sent five players to participate in the Shoreline Conference tournaments. Westbrook’s No. 1 doubles team of senior captain Mason Malchiodi and junior Ryan Engels took the title in the Doubles Tournament by earning a 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory versus Valley Regional’s top tandem in the championship match.
Caslin and sophomore Elliot Koplas represented Westbrook in the Shoreline Conference 1-2 Singles Tournament, while senior captain Jonah Freund competed on behalf of the Knights in the 3-4 Singles Tournament. With Shorelines taking place just before states, Coach Shapiro was pleased with how his players competed and felt ecstatic to see Malchiodi and Engels claim the doubles crown.
“They’re very supportive of each other. Even though some kids had a disappointing Shoreline championship when they were competing for themselves, all of the singles players were so incredibly happy for [Malchiodi and Engels],” said Shapiro. “That’s when you know you have a team atmosphere—when they could put their own individual success aside and not be jealous of their teammates. That starts to show you the type of kids that we have.”
Malchiodi earned All-Shoreline Conference First Team accolades and was joined by Engels as a First Team honoree after Westbrook’s No. 1 duo notched an unblemished regular-season record and then won the Shoreline doubles title. Caslin made the All-Shoreline Conference Second Team for the Knights.
Freund, who played No. 3 singles, also earned All-Shoreline Conference Second Team honors after collecting 14 wins in the regular season. Koplas, the club’s No. 2 singles player, was also named to the All-Shoreline Second Team. Koplas has gone 32-0 between the past two regular seasons, and Coach Shapiro feels eager to see how he will perform in the No. 1 singles spot for Westbrook next year.
While Westbrook featured a strong lineup from top to bottom, the Knights’ senior class led charge for the team as it competed through the 2022 season. Coach Shapiro heavily relied on the leadership of Westbrook’s seniors, who were the captains, Caslin, Freund, and Malchiodi, along with Justin Tapia. Shapiro knows that it will be difficult for the Knights to replace those players next year.
“They really helped push the team for sure. While we were able to persevere without the seniors from the prior year, the two-year loss of these players is going to be virtually impossible to replace,” Coach Shapiro said. “Their leadership was really by action and how they showed up for practice every day and how they wanted it. The other players on the team didn’t want to disappoint them in their senior season.”
Westbrook’s graduating seniors set a high standard for success during the past two seasons, and Coach Shapiro doesn’t want to Knights to take a step back in 2023. Players like Engels and Koplas will be returning for another shot at glory next year. Shapiro is also hoping for the arrival of a few new players to help the program try to continue its recent run of success.
“Each season’s different. One of the goals is to get more players. We don’t have enough players,” said Shapiro. “There’s a huge amount of work to be done. I’m going to stick to the same principles. I’m going to try and find kids that care about the team and care about the sport and each other.”
Coach Shapiro was pleased with what the Westbrook boys’ tennis team achieved after losing several key performers from its 2021 club. The 2022 edition of the Knights worked hard to replicate that success and ultimately put together another stellar season. In the end, Shapiro feels that every member of his program should be proud about what Westbrook accomplished this year.
“Most people thought there would be a massive drop off from an undefeated season. We lost four of our key players at one of the smallest public schools in the state,” Shapiro said. “We were able to come back and have a 14-2 season and get farther than any other team in the [Shoreline Conference] in the State Tournament. I think it says a lot about how hard the kids were willing to work and how mentally strong they were.”
The Westbrook boys’ tennis team’s roster for the 2022 season featured senior captains Joey Caslin, Jonah Freund, and Mason Malchiodi; senior Justin Tapia; juniors Josh Davey and Enzo Adorno; and sophomores Elliot Koplas, Jon Freund, and Dev Patel.