For the first time in Oyster River High School history, the boys tennis team competed in the Division II state championship and won!
After having to reschedule due to rain, on Thursday, June 2nd the boys tennis team traveled to neutral ground, Pinkerton Academy to play in the state championship game at 5 pm. After winning against their opponent in the regular season by just one point, the boys were ready to defend their undefeated season.
Before the game, captain Ben Montgomery (‘22) said, “I think it will be a really good match and we’ve really been working hard for this and been undefeated so far. So, we can clinch the perfect season if we win this. That would be really cool.”
Captain Josh Nicols (‘22) explained his excitement after the big win. “It feels great to finally win because it’s something we’ve worked so hard for the past couple years, and being able to do it with the team this year is amazing.”
Playing Lebanon the first time this season the boys had a tougher win, ending up only winning by one point, but using the knowledge from that game and learning their playing styles, the boys were able to come through with an easy 6-3 win. Out of the six players playing singles, Shashu Srivatsan (‘23), Siddhu Srivatsan (‘23), Josh Nicols, and Simon Bliss (‘23) all won. Ben Montgomery and Josh Nicols, and Shashu Srivatsan and Leo Li (‘22) ended up winning doubles and securing the victory for Oyster River.
After beating Lebanon only 5-4 in the regular season, “preparing for this game we knew we could win but we all had to be on our A game and push through, and finally winning 6-3 in the championship is incredible,” says Nicols.
The boys ended up winning 6-3 with Shashu Srivatsan (‘23) being a key player by securing two wins for the team, one in singles and one in doubles with his partner Leo Li (‘22). “There wasn’t one player that was the key part to winning but the fact that our team is such a great team all the way through 6 we are able to dominate other teams where they aren’t as developed,” says Nicols.
As one of the final ORHS sports teams without a championship, Montgomery reflected before the match and considered its significance. “It’s exciting for sure. With me being a senior especially, it would be really cool to leave the school with something. We don’t even have a banner in the gym because we just haven’t won yet, so it would be really cool to see our hard work pay off.”
Through all their hard work, the boys tennis team will finally have that banner.