|
Despite the snow, travel delays, and all the midwinter chaos that comes with a Philadelphia championship weekend, Massachusetts high school teams arrived ready and delivered a truly memorable performance at the US Squash High School National Championships. The depth of talent, team spirit, and competitive fire from our programs were on full display all weekend long.
A huge congratulations to Greg Crane and his Dana Hall squad, who entered the tournament seeded 12th and powered their way to a phenomenal 4th place finish. Their big first round win over Westminster Girls set the tone for a weekend filled with confidence, composure, and some terrific squash.
Milton had a standout showing on both sides of the draw. The boys team, coached by Morgan Poor, delivered an outstanding performance to finish 2nd place in Division 3, a testament to their grit and steady improvement throughout the season. On the girls side, under the leadership of Seth Packard, Milton brought home the Division 4 title.
Nobles also gave us plenty to cheer about. Led by coach Mike Tootill, the Nobles boys pulled off a thrilling 4–3 victory over Groton in one of the most exciting matches of the weekend. Andrea Gardos coached the Nobles girls to a strong 7/8 finish.
On the girls side, under the leadership of coach Shaun Duffy, Andover earned the highest overall placement among Massachusetts girls teams, finishing in 3rd place. While the Andover boys led by John Roberts held their own in a tough draw, seeded 6th and finishing 7/8 overall, while Deerfield led by Ryan Tyree, seeded 5th, finished in the 5/6 range to round out a strong New England presence near the top of the bracket.
Brookline High School, coached by Steve Lantos, was another bright spot for the Bay State. The boys earned an impressive 4th place finish in Division V and the girls placed 9th in Division VI after a strong Consolation Round 2 run. Individually, Brookline’s top two players were outstanding. No. 1 Tobin Chang did not drop a single game across four matches, and No. 2 Rama Urs lost just one game in as many matches. That level of focus and execution speaks volumes about the continued rise of Public High School Squash.
And that rise is real. This year, more than 20 percent of the over 200 teams at Nationals came from Public High School Squash programs, a powerful reminder that the game is growing, diversifying, and reaching more student athletes every season. Massachusetts is right at the heart of that momentum.
From dramatic 4–3 battles to division titles and dominant individual performances, the snowy weekend in Philadelphia once again proved that Massachusetts high school squash is thriving. To our players, coaches, and families who made the trip and competed with such pride, thank you!
|