SCH senior Chase Rotelle eyes up a backhand stroke along the left wall of the court. (Photo by Tom Utescher) by Tom Utescher While taking on some squash opponents in their own league which are among …
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SCH senior Chase Rotelle eyes up a backhand stroke along the left wall of the court. (Photo by Tom Utescher)by Tom Utescher
While taking on some squash opponents in their own league which are among the top teams in the nation, the Springside Chestnut Hill Academy Blue Devils also plays against schools whose squash programs are relatively new.
When Friends Central, not one of the traditional powers in the sport, arrived at SCH last Monday, the Blue Devils made some adjustments in their line-up. The top four players were given the day off, but nevertheless Springside Chestnut Hill prevailed, 9-0, against the visiting Phoenix, with 3-0 match scores in all but one bout.
Blue Devils freshman Danny O'Connor releases the ball for a serve. (Photo by Tom Utescher)That's not to say that the Blue Devils breezed through every game. Junior Phil McDowell, normally the number five for SCH, was bumped up to number one and received a workout from FC's Lucas DeSipio. The first game went to SCH at 11-4, but fairly late in the second the two players were locked up at 8-8. McDowell captured the next three points to secure the game, then won the third round, 11-6.
At number two, Blue Devils senior Tommy Scanlin also was pushed in his second game, needing to go to 12-10 to overcome Leo Shack of the Phoenix. Scanlin took the first and third more easily, 11-5, 11-3.
Chase Rotelle, an SCH senior playing number three, appeared to be rolling along as he put the first two games in his column, 11-2, 11-3. Friends Central's Marcus Chiang would not go down in straight sets, though, winning game three, 11-9, and then putting up a fight in the fourth before Rotelle triumphed, 11-8.
In the fourth spot, Blue Devils junior Sam Pagon picked up steam as his match progressed, and he turned in an 11-6, 11-4, 11-2 verdict against Damon Core. Sophomore Roan Stauffer played right in the middle of the line-up, going past visiting number five Gordon Wilcox, 11-2, 11-2, 11-3.
The other four rungs of the Springside Chestnut Hill ladder were occupied by freshmen. Jack Gaghan dispatched Blake Reisenfeld of the Phoenix at number six, 11-2, 11-3, 11-1, and Danny O'Connor gave up a total of just five points in his 11-1, 11-3, 11-1 win against Jared Miller.
Hunter Rexford, who also plays varsity ice hockey for SCH, turned in an 11-5, 11-4, 11-4 decision in the eighth spot over Friends Central's Michael Chou, and SCH number nine Will Kelly overcame increasing resistance from Devin Kolimago of the Phoenix to win 11-3, 11-6, 11-8.
