Newsday's All-Long Island boys tennis team 2025

LONG ISLAND CO-PLAYERS OF THE YEAR: Max Golubenko, Manhasset, Sr. and Ethan Solop, Roslyn, Sr.

Manhasset’s Golubenko and Roslyn’s Solop both had outstanding campaigns and return to the Newsday All-Long Island boys tennis team. Golubenko earns his second selection after making the 2024 second team. Solop appears for a third time after making the 2024 first team and 2023 second team.

The seasons Golubenko and Solop had playing singles clearly stood out. Both of them advanced in the state individual championships to the semifinal round.

Golubenko played with a combination of power and precision that he somehow made look effortless. He was 24-2, including a phenomenal performance at the Nassau Individual Championships, where he won a grueling three-set semifinal that lasted over four hours and rebounded to defeat Solop for the county crown in the final.

Solop played with relentless passion and effort; his ground strokes could be flummoxing for opponents, alternating spin and strength. He was 21-4 and prevailed on the big stage of the state tournament in a county-title rematch with a hard-fought three-set victory to take third place. Solop also helped Roslyn outperform its No. 3 seeding to reach the Nassau large school team final where it fell to Syosset, 4-3.

Golubenko will attend Trinity College in Connecticut and play for the Bantams next season. Solop is bound for Villanova and will play for the Wildcats.

SUFFOLK PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Shashank Pennabadi, Ward Melville, Sr.

Pennabadi is a Newsday All-Long Island first-team selection for the fourth straight year, and first time as a singles player. After going unbeaten in singles and doubles in team play, he lost the title match at the Suffolk Individual Championships to Whitman’s Sam Lopez-Cardenas, but won the rematch at the state tournament to take fifth place. The South Carolina State commit finished 24-3 in all matches.

First Team

Will Bohner, Friends Academy, Jr.

Installed at the top of the Quakers’ lineup playing first singles, Bohner capped an excellent season by winning all five of his matches as Friends Academy captured its first small school team state championship. Bohner took third place in singles at the Nassau Individual Championships and reached the round of 16 in the state tournament. He was 17-5.

Sam Lopez-Cardenas, Whitman, Sr.

After taking a year away from high school tennis for intensive training and tournament play, Lopez-Cardenas re-emerged as a dominating force on the singles scene. He won his first 21 matches en route to capturing the Suffolk individual singles championship and then won his first three matches at the state tournament to reach the quarterfinals in a sixth-place finish. The Ithaca College commit had a 24-2 record.

Eric Benderly (Sr.) and Jeffrey Behar (Sr.), Commack

Benderly earns a second straight Newsday All-Long Island first-team selection in doubles, this time paired with the crafty Behar. Both played singles and doubles as Commack reached the Suffolk team final, with Benderly going 14-1 overall and Behar 12-6. Paired, they had an 8-3 mark, reached the title match at the county's individual championships, and qualified for the state tournament.

CJ Bravo (Soph.) and Ben Wiese (Fr.), Garden City

The young duo made a big splash on the Nassau boys tennis scene with their play in team matches, where Wiese went 12-1 and Bravo 8-3. But they made for a dynamic tandem in the postseason, going 10-1, winning the county's individual doubles title and finishing fifth in the state tourney.

Lohit Madisetty (Sr.) and Marcus Gonzales (8th Grade), Half Hollow Hills East

Madisetty is a Newsday All-Long Island selection for the third time and makes his first appearance on the first team with middle-schooler Gonzales as a partner. Both played a mixture of singles and doubles in helping East win the Suffolk team title, Madisetty going 11-5 and Gonzales 9-3. Together, they won the doubles crown at the Suffolk Individual Championships and took eighth in the state tourney.

Nikhil Shah (Jr.) and Aayan Mehta (Jr.), Syosset

Shah makes his third straight appearance on the Newsday All-Long Island first team, this time joined by Mehta after the pair helped Syosset (21-1) win its third straight state large school team championship. In team play, Shah was 14-4 in singles and Mehta 19-3 in singles and doubles. Together they were 8-3, reached the final at the Nassau Individual Championships and took sixth place in the state tourney.

Tommy Walsh (Jr.) and Sam Stein (Sr.), Half Hollow Hills East

Walsh and Stein made massive and essential contributions to Half Hollow Hills East’s run to the Suffolk large school team championship, winning all their matches in the county playoffs. At the Suffolk Individual Championships, they took third place to earn a state tourney berth where they reached the round of 16. Walsh’s 2025 record in all matches was 18-6 and Stein’s was 21-9.

Coach of the Year: Owen Kassimir, Friend Academy

After two consecutive unsuccessful trips to the state small school team championship match, Kassimir skillfully guided the Quakers to their first state title. Friends Academy shook off last season’s disappointment and was very competitive playing a regular season entirely against large schools in a tough Nassau Conference I. He made effective adjustment for the shorter lineups in the state tournament and the Quakers (12-7) beat Ross for a third straight Long Island crown and Section I champ Byram Hills, 3-2, for the state title.