Seasons like the one the Greenwich High School boys tennis team experienced this spring don’t occur often.

The type of season the Cardinals enjoyed in 2023 should be fondly remembered for they were as perfect as a team could be, while achieving their ultimate goal.

Earning a record of 22-0, Greenwich put the exclamation point on a truly remarkable season, winning the CIAC Class LL Tournament title today with a 4-0 win over longtime FCIAC rival Staples in the state championship match, held at Wesleyan University in Middletown.

Today’s title matchup was a rematch of the 2022 Class LL final, which was won by Staples, but this year clearly belonged to the Cardinals. Greenwich, which also finished as the runner-up to Staples in the 2019, 2018 and 2017 Class LL Tournament, gained bragging rights in the rivalry this year, defeating the Wreckers three times this spring, with two of the wins coming during the postseason.

It was apparent early in the season that the Cardinals were going to be tough to top this season, as they swept their first three foes, including the Wreckers.

“I think the stars aligned with us this year,” Greenwich coach Ray Marschall said. “We got our confidence up early in the season and the boys responded every time it came down to a big match. It was a dominant season by the numbers, but also in terms the consistency our team showed.”

Seeded first, Greenwich was victorious in two singles matches and a pair of doubles matches in today’s state finals against Staples. Senior Dylan Atkinson notched a 6-2, 6-1 victory against Noah Wolff of the Wreckers at No. 1 singles.

Atkinson has a record of 14-1 at the top singles spot for the Cards. He will continue his tennis career at the University of Richmond next seaon.

Dylan is a top player, he’s had a phenomenal three years on the team, starting as a sophomore,” Marschall said. “He worked hard in the offseason and he played with a lot of energy and emotion all season.”

In the No. 2 singles match, Greenwich freshman Volodymyr Dombrovskyi rebounded from a loss against Darien in the tournament’s semifinal-round by defeating Staples’ Brett Lampert, 6-3, 6-0. Lampert was sidelined with an injury the majority of the season, before his return to the Wreckers’ lineup. Dombrovskyi has been dealing with a shoulder issues, but was in top form in today’s winner-take-all match.

“He played a very smart match,” Marschall said of Dombrovskyi. “He moved him around, he drop shot him, he kept the ball in play. The precision that he hits the ball with is so impressive – he hits it clean.”

Greenwich also received clutch victories from junior Harrison Wolfe and sophomore Rohan Mittal at second doubles and the duo of junior Bruce Lunder and sophomore Alex Salib at No. 3.

Like their state semifinal-round victory against Darien and practically all of the matches they have played all season, Mittal and Wolfe were efficient with their shots, while keeping their opponents on the move throughout. They posted a 6-3, 6-2 triumph over Hayden Frey and Patrick Tesoriero of the Wreckers. The Cards’ No. 2 doubles team quickly jelled this season.

“Harrison played third doubles his freshman year and as a sophomore, played singles, but he realized he could be more valuable to the team as a doubles player,” Marschall noted. “Going into the season, he and Rohan said they would like to be a doubles team. Harrison’s serve and Rohan’s hands at the net really complement each other. They are a pleasure to coach and to watch them develop.”

Lunder/Salib gave GHS a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 3 doubles against Staples’ Jared Even/Clint Graham.

“Alex has a hard-hitting, powerful game and Bruce has lovely strokes and great touch at the net,” Marschall said. “They have played well together all season. “They talk to each other on the court and they are easy to coach. All six of our doubles players listen and are easy to coach.”

Greenwich’s No. 1 doubles team of senior standouts Cai Jain and Nick O’Brien didn’t finish their match against Alex Guardarrama and Mattie Guardarrama of the Wreckers. The Guardarrama brothers won the first set, 6-2, O’Brien and Jain took the second set, 6-4 and were leading in the third, 2-0, when the Cardinals clinched the match and the title.

Jain and O’Brien, who have spent three seasons honing their doubles skills together, have dropped only two matches this season – both to Darien. They’ve emerged victorious in all of their other matches, providing the team a significant boost in doubles play.

“Nick and Cai have their stuff down so well in hand, they know what they have to do each match against each opponent,” Marschall said. “It’s been so rewarding to watch them improve and develop over the years. They don’t need a lot of guidance out there.”

The No. 3 singles match between senior David Karetsky of GHS and Lucas Ceballos-Cala was also not completed. Ceballos-Cala took the opening set, 6-4, Karetsky won the second, 6-2 and was up, 2-1, in the third, when the Cardinals clinched the victory with their fourth win.

Karetsky has helped power the Cardinals’ singles lineup this spring, as has sophomore Manuel Galli Specos. Just a day earlier, Galli Specos won the deciding match at fourth singles against Darien in the Class LL semifinals – a three-set thriller. In yesterday’s No. 4 singles match, Shreyas Gorre of Staples claimed the first set, 6-3 and Galli Specos rebounded to win the second, 6-0, before play was halted.

Greenwich’s victory against Staples marked its 14th state championship. Prior to yesterday, the Cardinals last state title came in 2016, when they shared the championship plaque with the Wreckers. The Cardinals’ other state titles came in 1993, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013.

Reflecting on this year’s Greenwich’s squad, it has to be recognized as one of the most dominant in the program’s history. Of its 22 victories, Greenwich swept 12 of its opponents. They also won five other matches by a score of 6-1.

“Dylan is a top player and we have great singles players,” Marschall said. “In addition to that, and what really made the difference, was the depth of the team. There is not much of a drop off between first doubles second doubles and third doubles.”

Indeed, in almost every match this spring, the Cardinals’ doubles teams went 3-0, setting the squad up nicely for success.

The season isn’t over for several Cardinals players. Atkinson and Dombrovskyi will compete in the CIAC Individual Tournament, as will doubles teams Jain/O’Brien and Wolfe/Mittal.

“I’m going to miss this group,” Marschall said of the entire team. “This team has really put in the effort. These guys want to have practice on Sunday, even though the tournament is over, they want to get together. Their effort, spirit and enthusiasm is what I will miss the most. They are so energetic.”