EH, WHB Send Four To Division IV Quarters

East Hampton/Bridgehampton/Pierson and Westhampton Beach sent three singles players and one doubles team to the Division IV finals. After rain delayed the start of the tournament May 3, play resumed late May 4 at Shoreham-Wading River High School with competition continuing until the quarterfinal round, which resumed May 6, results of which were not available by press time.

No. 8 seed Trevor Hayes of Westhampton Beach played No. 1 Michael Koscinski of Center Moriches. Hayes had edged out East Hampton’s Max Astilean in a close second-round match 7-6 (3), 7-6 (6). No. 4 Ravi MacGurn was the first Bonacker to punch his ticket to the quarters with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Ross’s Ty Gelijns; next was No. 3 Jonny DeGroot with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Hampton Bays’ Patricio Pulla; and last was No. 7 Luke Louchheim with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Hampton Bays’ Jeremy Carcamo. MacGurn took on No. 5 Luke Kosmynka of Mattituck, DeGroot No. 6 Andrew Insalaco of Westhampton, and Louchheim No. 2 Josh Kaplan of Westhampton. Insalaco had taken down William Floyd’s Sergei Rogers 6-1, 6-0 to earn his spot, and Kaplan knocked out Mattituck’s Chris Siejka 6-1, 6-1.

“All the talk with the kids is Luke and Ravi want to knock people out for Jonny,” East Hampton head coach Kevin McConville said, laughing. “We wanted it to be that other people had a shot at Josh before Jonny did.”

Louchheim and Kaplan played each other in the quarterfinals last year in a close three-set match, where Louchheim took the first 6-1.

Coming off a close 5-2 loss to No. 2 Commack gave the Bonackers some extra competition, and also helped McConville with how to strategize moving forward. All top eight individual quarterfinalists will play in the overall Section XI individual tournament next weekend beginning May 10 at Half Hollow Hills West at noon.

“It’s immensely helpful for me to see how we can play these guys in the future and do things to prepare,” McConville said. “We’re going to use this time wisely.”

On the doubles side No. 1-seeded Jaedon Glasstein and Alex Weseley will represent the Bonackers, and No. 4 Kasper Buchen and Jake Ongania will play for the Hurricanes. Glasstein and Weseley knocked out Van Karsten and Calvin Karsten of Southold/Greenport 6-2, 6-1 after a first-round bye.

“They’re going to be a tough team to beat,” McConville said of his doubles duo. “I think Jaedon and Alex have an excellent shot at winning this thing. I told them they can make a serious run at trying to make states.”

Buchen and Ongania also rested the first round, and beat Center Moriches’ Kyle Kochanski and Enda Zhou 6-2, 6-4 for their spot in the quarterfinals.

Glasstein and Weseley faced No. 8 Michael Daffy and Ruben Schneiderman of Southampton. Buchen and Ongania took on No. 5 Billy Hattrick and Jomel Dela Cruz of Southampton.

desiree@indyeastend.com