Oceanside's future takes shape

It has been a season of streaks for the Oceanside boys’ tennis team.

After starting the season with convincing victories over Valley Steam Central and Calhoun, the Sailors were mired in a four-game losing streak that featured 4-3 defeats against South Side and Lynbrook. The team bounced back with three straight 5-2 wins before dropping the last four matches entering the season finale against Farmingdale.

The result is a 5-8 record and a win over the Dalers would match last year’s mark. But a 12-deep roster that could remain exactly intact next spring may put the program back on a winning track with more experience.

“We have to find our groove,” coach Jamie Della Rocca said. “We had a small turnout this year. We’re very young. I didn’t have any seniors on the team. Hopefully everyone is coming back next year and we can have a really good season.”

The team’s top singles player is sophomore Nick Lisi, who competed against some of the county’s best players despite his younger age. He made the jump from third singles last year.

“He’s got a powerful serve and he has to come into his own,” Della Rocca said. “He was playing mostly kids who were juniors and seniors. He’s done a great job with it and comes out with a positive attitude.”

Stepping into the second and third single slots were juniors Michael Milberg and Noah Davis, respectively. Della Rocca said that Davis was “vastly improved” from last year, where he competed in the fourth doubles slot.

“He had a consistent game,” she said. “He has a very good serve-and-volley game, which is the strongest [part of his game]. When he approaches the net, he’s able to put the ball away.”

The first-doubles duo of Jesse Leidner and Max Wasserman has been instrumental in Oceanside’s wins this year, including a 6-3, 6-3 sweep against Calhoun’s Joe Feldman and Ryan Simmons in the Sailors’ most recent victory on April 26.

“Jesse and Max are like the dynamic duo,” said Della Rocca. “Jesse is probably the most verbal kid I ever had on the court. He’s constantly talking to his partner, but he keeps focused on his game. Max has great wheels [and] he’s a great net guy.”

Fellow juniors Liam Fager and Alex Utrecht showed signs of being a strong pair in second doubles. They outlasted Valley Stream Central’s Simon Kwok and Asad Mian, 7-6 (7) , 4-6, 6-2 in the season opener on March 27 and rallied to beat Kwok and Glenn Balanay 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 on April 23. Freshman Jack Walsh has also supplied strong fill-in play, teaming with Daniel Khaykin to beat Feldman and Simmons on April 9.

Lisi and Milberg will team up at the Nassau County Championships at Eisenhower Park on Saturday and Liedner and Wasserman will compete as well.

“Jesse and Max have held their own all season [and] they’re very, very strong,” Della Rocca said. “Milberg and Lisi hopefully will be able to hold their own.”