By Parker Spector-Salwen and Sammy Greben

As the spectators swarmed the stands, the starters’ adrenaline pumped. Ready to face Bethpage in the first round of play-offs, the players stepped onto the court excited to have made it this far and determined to give the crowd a win.
At halftime, the Rebels were down after a few careless mistakes and intensified pressure. Despite this situation, the boys shook it off and re-entered the second half with a positive mindset and encouragement from a loud and supportive crowd. Unfortunately, the Rebels lost the game with a final score of two sets to three, but they won their division with a record of 15-2.
Senior captains Nelson Bai, Andrew Chen, Danny Kosofsky, and John Zhang owe the team’s success to the mutual camaraderie both on and off the court. “Whether winning or losing, we always pull each other up,” said Bai. The captains felt that Coach Crotty helped establish this morale by emphasizing trust between teammates. The Rebels came into the season with the goals of winning their division and making it to the playoffs. Overall, the team celebrated their teamwork and the season’s finish.
Such an ambitious goal had to be met with hard work and dedication. The boys’ rigorous practice and effort brought injury concernsㅡa major obstacle that the boys had to face throughout the season. It was nearly impossible to have all of the players healthy at the same time, which required frequent shifts in technique. Coach Crotty didn’t let this challenge get in the way of the team’s success. “Coach Crotty has great knowledge of the game and has a good mindset for keeping us controlled and focused at all times,” said Kosofsky. Bai believes that she has improved the team’s technique and composure, even in the face of defeat.
Although the boys could not help but feel heartbroken as the buzzer struck zero, they are proud of achieving their goals. Ms. Crotty said, “They gave it 100% and got the championship title they deserved.”