Bayport-Blue Point girls tennis loses in state small schools final, ending 'historic season'
Lily Castka of Bayport-Blue Point competes in second singles during the NYSPHSAA girls tennis team championship against Byram Hills at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. Credit: James Escher
It was a sensational season by every measure for the Bayport-Blue Point girls tennis program. For more than two months, the Phantoms met every challenge, conquered every obstacle and arrived at their sport’s promised land, the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
However, nothing is promised in the state tournament and after a resounding victory in a Friday morning semifinal, Bayport-Blue Point finally ran into a hurdle it could not clear in the afternoon. The Phantoms’ season-opening streak of 20 consecutive wins ended against Byram Hills of Section I with a 4-1 loss in the Division II (small schools) title match on Friday.
Sophomore Lily Castka quickly posted a 6-1, 6-1 win at second singles, but that was the end of the good news. All three of the Phantoms doubles team suffered straight set losses and Emilia Romano battled the Bobcats’ Jenna Klynerman through three sets before falling, 3-6, 6-3, 2-6.
Byram Hills (16-2) is state champion for the third time in four seasons.
Bayport-Blue Point (20-1) won its fourth straight Suffolk County title and first Long Island championship and decimated Oneida in the semifinal, 5-0, while dropping a total of only seven games. The Phantoms advanced further this season than any girls tennis team from Suffolk.
“They were champions before they ever stepped on the court — one match does not define a season ,” BBP coach John Selvaggio said. “We went farther than any team from our county has gone, and I could not be more pleased with our season. And I believe the leadership at the top of this team has set it up for future success.”
“They may look up to me, but they should know I look up to them,” Romano said. “This was a historic season for us. I’m proud of how far [the senior] class brought this program over the years and I see great things for it ahead.”
Charlotte Volpe, also a senior, was designated for the tournament sportsmanship award.
Of the eight players in the starting lineup Friday, five will return for next season. Selvaggio said there are high-ceiling seventh graders who are in the pipeline and will join this now-experienced group.
Unintimidated by the moment, Bayport-Blue Point played loose in the semifinal win. Romano and Castka each lost only one game in capturing singles wins. The team of sophomore Evie Romano and Volpe put up a 6-0, 6-2 victory at first doubles and senior Leah Richardt and junior Danielle Oleksiak won at second doubles, 6-1, 6-2. Leila Rogers and Jordana Heller — the eighth-graders who played consequential roles in winning the county and Island title matches, won the third singles match, 6-0, 6-0.
But Byram Hills proved to be the better team; it’s only losses this season were to state Division I champion Horace Greeley.
“I'm very proud of this team,” Castka said. “Everyone who's here deserved to be here and everyone took a part in being able to be here.”
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.