2020
LONG ISLAND GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL PREVIEW Nassau County Teams to Watch Port Washington There’s been no better team on Long Island over the last few years than the Vikings of Port Washington. The team has lost just one time over its last 51 matches, and went undefeated in 2019 en route to a county and Long Island championship. With young talent still at the top of its lineup, including singles players Thea Rabman and Ellie Ross, Port Washington will once again be the favorite to repeat as county champions, and have the opportunity to defend its Long Island title. Great Neck North The Blazers from Great Neck North came up one win shy of the county title a year ago, falling to the aforementioned Port Washington Vikings. This year’s team will be without last year’s top singles player and one of the best players in the state in Amy Delman, but returns key contributors Alyssa Ghassabian and Alina Lyakhov, both of whom represented their team and the county at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Championships last year. With the two of them leading way, Great Neck North should once again be in contention for the county title.
Port Washington Hewlett One of the toughest teams to beat over the last couple of years has been the Hewlett Bulldogs, both because of its top-tier talent in singles, but also because of a deep roster that spreads talent across all of the seven courts during a match. Led by senior and Harvard-commit Rachel Arbitman, Hewlett will once again be on the radar for a county title. Arbitman won the state singles title two years ago, and partnered
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Long Island Tennis Magazine • September/October 2020 • LITennisMag.com
with Nyla Gershfeld to win the state doubles title a year ago. With those two anchoring the Hewlett lineup, the Bulldogs will be tough to beat this season. Syosset The Braves have been one of the more consistent teams over the last few years, and that should be no different in 2020. Despite losing some key contributors in its starting lineup, Syosset will be in good hands with Alex Ho and Alexa Brecher leading the singles lineup, and with depth at each position in the lineup, something Syosset has been known for over the years, the team will be a tough opponent for anyone in the county. Friends Academy Friends Academy should be in for a huge bump in success this coming season. A season ago, freshman Isabella Sha played first singles and won all 10 of her singles matches, something she will look to repeat and build upon this fall in her sophomore campaign. If Sha is able to have that sort of success once again, and Friends gets contributions from its doubles teams, the Quakers could be on the verge of a deep playoff run.
