For the third straight year, Hopewell Valley’s boys tennis team found itself at the top of Central Jersey Group 2.
The second-seeded Bulldogs defeated top-seeded Holmdel, 3.5-1.5, to capture the Central Jersey Group 2 championship at the Holmdel Swim Club, completing another remarkable postseason run and adding to what has become one of the most successful stretches in program history.
For veteran coach David Burchell, the championship was especially rewarding because of the experience and dedication of a team that returned nearly intact from last year’s title squad.
“We knew at the end of last year we were going to have the entire team back except one player,” Burchell said. “We were optimistic.”
A Tough Road to Another Title
That optimism was tested early.
Hopewell Valley opened the season just 3-5 while facing one of the toughest schedules in the state. Five of the Bulldogs’ seven losses came against teams ranked among New Jersey’s top 20.
“We lost seven matches,” Burchell said. “Of all the state champions, Hopewell Valley had the most losses of any champion, and that’s because we play one of the most difficult schedules.”
The Bulldogs responded by winning their final seven matches of the season.
“I’ve told the kids every year that it doesn’t matter what happens at the beginning and how many times you lose,” Burchell said. “As long as you win the last seven matches of the year, you could be a state champion.”
The coach believes this year’s group may have been the finest team he has coached in more than five decades on the sidelines.
“This was probably the best team I’ve ever coached,” said Burchell, who is in his 53rd year coaching high school tennis and his 20th season at Hopewell Valley. “One of the hardest-working teams I’ve ever had.”
Leadership at the Top of the Lineup
The Bulldogs were led by senior captain Eshaan Doshi at first singles. Burchell praised Doshi’s consistency and leadership while noting that competing at the top of the lineup often meant facing some of the best players in New Jersey.
“Eshaan never lost a match that I thought he should win,” Burchell said.
Junior Danyal Rizavi played second singles, while sophomore Kevin Gu held down the third singles position, giving Hopewell Valley strength throughout the lineup.
The Bulldogs also received key contributions from their second doubles team of Manas Sinha and Luke Poltrino, whose play helped provide depth throughout the ladder and made Hopewell Valley a difficult matchup from top to bottom.
The Winningest Doubles Team in School History
At doubles, the Bulldogs featured one of the most accomplished tandems in school history.
Kaito Mahon and Andrew Hou teamed at first doubles for three consecutive seasons, becoming what Burchell called “the winningest doubles team in the history of Hopewell Valley.”
“I’ve never had a doubles team stay together that long,” Burchell said. “These kids were fearless.”
The pair developed a reputation for winning close matches and dramatic tiebreakers.
“They were the cardiac kids,” Burchell said with a laugh. “They always came through.”
The championship victory was less dramatic than the previous two title runs.
Burchell noted that the Bulldogs won both the sectional semifinals and finals by 4-1 scores, compared with the razor-thin 3-2 victories that defined previous championship seasons.
“This year, when we won the championship, it was 4-1 and 4-1,” he said. “I knew we had a better team.”
More Than Tennis
Beyond the wins, Burchell said what stands out most about the group is what happened away from the court.
The team’s four seniors are headed to Duke University, the University of Illinois, Rutgers University and Lehigh University. The coach described the Bulldogs as true student-athletes who excelled academically while supporting one another throughout the season.
“They’re really good students,” Burchell said. “They’re really good sportsmen. They didn’t complain. They looked to help each other. They always tried to pat each other on the back.”
That culture extends throughout the program.
“We’re turning out young adults and good citizens,” Burchell said. “Sports and tennis are just a vehicle to make them better.”
Looking Ahead
Hopewell Valley will graduate Doshi and several key contributors, but the Bulldogs expect to return much of their lineup next spring. Rizavi and Gu are both expected back, and Burchell believes the program’s commitment to challenging competition and player development will continue to position the Bulldogs among the area’s top teams.
For now, though, the focus remains on a championship season that capped a three-year run few programs can match.
“We’re going to continue to schedule tough teams because we want the competition,” Burchell said.
And after another championship trophy, it’s hard to argue with the formula.
