Central Eagles net another title

Valley Stream Central boys’ tennis coach Brian Gallagher knew only one thing about the competition in Conference III — that it would provide a serious challenge for a team stepping up a year after winning the Conference IV title.

But when the Eagles nipped Locust Valley, 4-3, in this spring’s opener, Gallagher said he was immediately confident they were a good fit and could hang with a tougher group of rivals. “The way we started against a solid team like Locust Valley, beating them on the road in a close match, it gave everyone the feeling we belonged in Conference III,” he said.

Central swept through the first half of the schedule, winning three more 4-3 matches along the way, and finished conference champions after a couple of hiccups in early May. Fittingly, the Eagles outlasted Mepham, 4-3, for the title on May 16 at Garden City thanks to a sweep of all four doubles courts.

With players, coaches and fans from both sides watching, Central’s No. 3 doubles tandem of sophomores Thomas Zedzian and Kaushik Dudakia beat the Pirates’ Blake Heller and Austin Tennenbaum, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, in the decisive match to clinch the title. “We figured it out quick once everyone was watching us,” Zedzian said of being the make-or-break court. “It was definitely the most people we’ve played in front of.”

Zedzian delivered the winning point with a smash, setting off a wild celebration as the Eagles poured onto the court. “As I saw the point develop, I knew he was going to end it,” Dudakia said.

Just nine days earlier, Mepham handed Central (14-2 overall) its only lopsided loss of the campaign, 6-1. Gallagher said bouncing back with a win over Hicksville in the regular-season finale, which snapped a two-match slide, provided a lift going into the playoffs. “Mepham dented our confidence,” Gallagher said. “We needed a pick-me-up, and beating Hicksville was important.”

The Eagles beat Valley Stream South, 6-1, in the semifinals, behind a three-set win by junior Jegan Abraham at third singles, while Mepham handled Locust Valley by the same score to set up the finals. “Mepham’s singles players are super strong,” Gallagher noted. “We knew we had our work cut out.”

Junior Rohan Motwani led Central at No. 1 singles, going 7-7, after playing doubles last spring. “He’s very good at detecting an opponent’s weakness and attacking it,” said Gallagher, who noted senior Stanley Liang went 11-4 at second singles, and Abraham had nine wins.

All four doubles teams reached double digits in victories. Zedzian and Dudakia, who were undefeated in 2011 at fourth doubles, went 14-2 this spring and are 28-2 in their varsity careers. Juniors Kenneth Liang and Jason Shen paired for 11 wins at first doubles, and senior Henry Liang and junior Jonathan Chou did the same in the fourth slot. At No. 2, seniors Andy Chen and Brian Sinko compiled a record of 10-6.

“It was a total team effort,” Gallagher said. “Now we’re headed to Conference II.”