In sports, teams are the center of focus. Teams learn and grow throughout the season. The landscape of a team, especially in high school sports, changes every year with graduating seniors and incoming freshmen. Teams win championships, and players hoist trophies along with their teammates. In a sport such as tennis, however, we find teams within teams.
The Blue Devil tennis squad had an extremely impressive season. With very strong players in each different set, the first doubles team, consisting of seniors Colin Cimei and Cole Hornbeck, stood out above them all.
Westfield ended their season with a record of 21-8, but Cimei and Hornbeck ended their season undefeated, taking their first and only loss in the individual state tournament that followed the team’s season. In the individual state tournament, the first doubles team made it to the semifinals before they took their sole loss.
Throughout the spring, the two players helped the Blue Devils secure many compelling victories. Cimei noted wins over Princeton Day, JP Stevens, Chatham and Delbarton as some of their best ones. He also said that their victory in the North 2, Group 4 sectional championship rematch against Ridge after losing the year prior was a high point of their season. Of course, he and Hornbeck secured wins in first doubles in all of these matches.
Ending the regular season completely undefeated was something Cimei was very proud of. Doing this, especially in a competitive state and a competitive section, is extremely difficult. Though the tennis team as a whole did spectacular this season, Cimei and Hornbeck’s accomplishments should not go unnoticed.
As a partnership, Cimei and Hornbeck needed to know each other’s game inside and out. Cimei said, “We know what shots we’re going to hit, what shots we might not be able to hit and shots we need to help each other with. That’s what makes us a great duo.”
Regarding Cimei and Hornbecks’s partnership, teammate Evan Sewald said, “They’re both really good friends who have been playing together for a while. They know each other’s game really well, and they are both really good competitors.”
Cimei backed this up, saying that their “chemistry” is top tier because “we have been playing together for a long time and we know each other’s game so well.”
Cimei and Hornbeck are a perfect example of how being great teammates and knowing how each other plays may be more important than overall skill or talent. Neither Cimei or Hornbeck are continuing their tennis careers into college, yet their undefeated record this season echoes their teamwork and understanding of the game. However, there may be something other than teamwork that allowed this dynamic duo to succeed.
“I think it’s all about bringing the energy,” Cimei said. “Everybody feeds off of when someone wins a point and gets loud, and it leads to everyone else getting loud. Everyone gets their energy up and trusts themselves. They see other people succeeding, and they want to succeed as well. It’s all about teamwork and comradery and energy and we make sure everybody knows that every single game, to bring that energy even if you’re not on the court.”
Though Cimei and Hornbeck are graduating on Thursday, they have undoubtedly left a mark at Westfield as not only great tennis players, but leaders who go out each day and give their all, inspiring freshman and seniors alike.
Cimei and Hornbeck will be missed on the courts next year but their success will inspire teams for years to come.
