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Boys Varsity Squash: Season Outlook

Daniel Clarke
The St. Luke’s boys varsity squash team heads into the 2021-22 season with a good blend of youth and experience.

Despite no seniors on the roster, the Storm had a record number of players try out in November, something head coach Brian Mathias was very excited about: “Tryouts this year were a huge success, as we had so many boys attend and compete. Since Thanksgiving, we have been training and preparing for our first matches. The boys have been working extremely hard.”

Mathias recognizes the challenges with such a young squad but believes the experience gained on the court this season will benefit the team and program in the future: “Our league is full of good teams, including national champion Brunswick School, so we will play some difficult matches. We plan to play the long game and gain as much experience as possible, with the knowledge that we will continue to get stronger.”

The Storm is captained by Peter Cioffi ‘23 and Kaan Savasoglu ‘23, both who have been with SLS squash for a number of years. Mathias looks to them to lead by example: “By far, Peter and Kaan are the most experienced members of the team. We lost four starters from last year, so I look to our two captains to set the bar in terms of performance and commitment.”

Outside of his two captains, Mathias has been impressed with a number of the newcomers, including two players who returned to the fold after taking off last year’s modified season. “Both Philip Etergino ‘24 and Will Drapkin ‘24 returned this year and are showing great promise. Nihaal Kochar ‘24 has a natural talent for the game and is improving quickly. Holden Prymas ‘25 made a big impression in tryouts and, despite an early setback with an injury, will be in a position to contribute a lot this season.”

Mathias is confident his players will develop a strong team culture: “We're most looking forward to the return of the national and New England tournaments in February. Those multi-day events cap off the season and bring the team closer together. In terms of the on-court squash, I want my players to learn a calculated approach, set up their attacking opportunities with solid defense, and stay calm and focused as the pressure mounts. More importantly, I want them to have a strong sense of team and to support and play for each other.”

The Storm won its opening match at Canterbury School on Tuesday, Dec. 14, but lost to Hackley School on Wednesday, Dec. 15, in its home opener. The team returns to action after Winter Break, making the short trip to Greens Farms Academy on Wednesday, Jan. 5.
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St. Luke’s School is a secular (non-religious), private school in New Canaan, CT for grades 5 through 12 serving over 35 towns in Connecticut and New York. Our exceptional academics and diverse co-educational community foster students’ intellectual and ethical development and prepare them for top colleges. St. Luke’s Center for Leadership builds the commitment to serve and the confidence to lead.