The Masachusetts Squash Open Leagues are entering the second halves of their schedules. While there has been a lot of squash to date, the biggest matches are still to be played. Here’s a recap of the season so far:
Open 2.5—Captain Phil Murphy has FoMaMA tied for first place, along with Newton Squash & Tennis and Sport Club/LA. The race is as tight as can be, with as many as seven (!) teams vying for the top spot. Kyle Hall (FoMaMA) and Alex Taylor (UBC) lead a group of six players who have not dropped a match this season.
Open 3.0—Andover Squash Club has displayed remarkable resiliency in holding the top spot for most of the season despite not having any home matches. Boston Racquet Club, captained by Tony Flamand, finally dislodged Andover from first place last week. A rematch the last week of the season could determine the regular season champion. BSC Healthpoint and MIT round out the top four, with BSC Allston, led by undefeated Thor Thordisarson, battling for a playoff slot.
Open 3.5—After losing in the semifinals last year, Aman Khanna’s BSC Waltham team is undefeated after eight matches and looking for payback. Cambridge Athletic Club, which knocked out BSC Waltham last year, is again near the top of the standings, followed by Boston Racquet Club and Concord Acton Squash Club. Murali Kumar (BSC Waltham), Matt Turnell (BRC), and Divanshu Jain (CAC) are each 6-0, but the player of the year so far has been Valerie Koo, who is 5-0 as Tennis & Racquet Club’s #1.
Open 4.0—Another competitive league is the Open 4.0 league, with five teams within earshot of first place. After eight games, Yves Schabes has his Cross Courts at the top, with Lynch/van Otterloo a mere two points behind. Jamil Beg’s nomad team and 4.0 League Chair Chris Lowell’s University Club teams also have inside position for one of the four playoff slots. Both Naveen Pathak (Cross Courts) and Brendon Baker (Nomad) are undefeated from the #1 position, with each winning more than 60% of their points.
Open 4.5—BSC Allston team holds the biggest lead in the standings, with BSC Waltham well ahead of third place Cross Courts. It is a three team battle for the final playoff spot among Maugus Club, University Club, and Union Boat Club. Siddarth Sharma (BSC Waltham) leads with five wins from the #1 position, while David Renninger (BSC Allston) leads all players with a 6-0 record.
Open 5.5—The top spot of the Open 5.5 league will be in play when Bill Kaplan’s Harvard/Murr team visits Chris Smith and his first place Union Boat Club on January 14th. Tennis & Racquet Club and TOG at Belmont Hill are also well-positioned for playoff berths. With the remaining eight teams all within range for one of the final two slots, the end of the season is shaping up to be an exciting one. John Roberts (Harvard Club) has won each of his seven matches from the #1 position. Anthony Bardaro (UBC) is also 7-0, with four others also having five or more wins without a loss.
The Massachusetts Squash State leagues are made up of open skill level flights for players of all levels, women’s leagues, and a 50+ league. League play started in October and runs through March. This is the most popular Massachusetts Squash program. Last season there were 88 teams from 20 Massachusetts clubs. The leagues are a great way to get competitive play in a team environment.