Squash Falls in National Finals, 41 Match Win Streak Ends

Second-seeded Brunswick lost 5-2 to top-seed Haverford in the finals of the 2017 HEAD U.S. High School Team Championships on Sunday at Westminster School in Simsbury, Conn. The loss halts a 41-match win streak for coach Jim Stephens and the Bruins, as Brunswick earned its first two national titles in 2015 and 2016 during the remarkable run.

 

The 2017 championship was a rematch of the 2016 finals. Last year, Brunswick and Haverford, with rankings reversed, met for the title in Philadelphia, as the Bruins took home the 2016 Division I title and the Justi Cup with a 4-3 win.

 

Both teams returned for the 2017 tournament with four veterans from the 2016 championship. Haverford’s top four players, Duncan Joyce, Peter Miller, Grant Sterman, and William Glaser, played for the 2016 title, while Brunswick’s top four returners included Tyler Carney, Max Finkelstein, Patrick Feeley, and Will Holey.

 

After an opening the tournament with a 7-0 sweep of Deerfield in the round of 16 on Friday, Brunswick gutted out a 4-3 win over Nobles in the quarterfinals on Saturday afternoon. Following the quarterfinal victory, Brunswick topped Avon Old Farms, the 2015 national champs, by a 5-2 margin later on Saturday night to reach the finals.

 

Haverford cruised through its side of the draw, with 7-0, 6-1, and 7-0 wins to reach the Sunday championship.

 

With rough wintry weather outside the Kohn Squash Pavilion at Westminster, a boisterous crowd awaited the start of the championship round.

 

Haverford took a 3-1 lead with wins at #2, #3 and #5, as Brunswick earned a team point for a win at #7. The Bruins closed the gap to 3-2 with a win at #6 before Haverford clinched the title with a victory at #1.

 

For Brunswick, two freshmen won their matches, as #6 Brian Leonard and #7 Dana Santry scored team points for the Bruins.

 

In four of the five other individual matches, the Bruins pressed Haverford, losing in four sets.

 

Finals Results:

1. (H) Duncan Joyce   def. (B) Tyler Carney      13-15, 11-7, 11-9, 11-3

2. (H) Peter Miller       def. (B) Max Finkelstein  11-8, 11-6, 9-11, 11-9

3. (H) Grant Sterman  def. (B) Will Holey           15-13, 11-7, 11-5

4. (H) William Glaser  def. (B) Tate Huffman     11-6, 11-8, 7-11, 11-6

5. (H) Spencer Yeager  def. (B) Nick Spizzirri      16-14, 5-11, 12-10, 11-8

6. (B) Brian Leonard  def. (H) Samuel Turner   11-3, 11-6, 11-9

7. (B) Dana Santry    def. (H) William Wu         11-6, 11-4, 8-11, 11-9

 

Dating back to 2004, coach Stephens has taken nine different Brunswick teams to the national championship title match.