State Tennis: Port Washington Vikings claim first girls title

Port Washington girls tennis coach Shane Helfner led his Vikings to their first state championship in school history on Friday. The team secured the title at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, the same venue that has hosted U.S. Open finals since 1978. This victory marks the first time a female Port Washington team has won the state crown, a distinction previously held only by the boys golf team in the 1960s, according to athletics director Nick Schratweiser.

The Vikings defeated Clarence, the Section VI champion from outside Buffalo, by a score of 5-2 in the morning semifinal. Later that afternoon, they defeated Chappaqua’s Horace Greeley with the same 5-2 score to claim the trophy. The team finished the season with an 18-3 record. Helfner, who has coached the team since 2014 and also serves as a band teacher at Schreiber High School, described the season's trajectory using musical metaphors. He compared the journey to a huge brass band performance, noting that while there were down moments, the outcome was majestic and triumphant.

Four doubles teams were the primary drivers of the victory. These pairs finished the season with a 40-match winning streak. In the championship match, all four doubles teams won their respective matches. Seniors Christiana Kent and Shoriya Bhat-Bhandarkar secured the final point for the title. Their opponent returned Kent’s first serve wide, allowing Kent and Bhat-Bhandarkar to close out a 6-3, 6-2 win. The pair had been partners for three years. Bhat-Bhandarkar, one of three senior captains, said the team knew the match would come down to them. She stated that finishing the career together was the best possible way to end it.

Kent expressed surprise at the moment’s significance. She said she tried to treat the point like any other, as coached, but struggled to articulate her feelings after the win. She described the experience as amazing and said she wanted to savor every moment. Fellow senior Evie Loewy, who was also on the 2022 state final team, noted that the team rebuilt itself from the ground up after a 7-0 loss to Scarsdale four years ago. Loewy said knowing it was their final match added weight to the achievement.

The path to the title included a 4-3 victory over longtime rival Syosset in the county finals. This win marked the Vikings' first county crown since 2022. They then defeated Scarsdale 6-1 in the regional final. Senior captain Evie Loewy and Kent were the only players from the 2022 team to return for the 2026 run. Helfner acknowledged that Scarsdale was a strong opponent in 2022 but believed the team's experience gave them a better chance this time.

Individual performances in singles also contributed to the Friday wins. Iris Kim, the No. 3 singles player, served a double bagel in the finals and lost only two games across both matches. Helfner called her performance a major boost for the team. The team also relied on first singles player Michaela Lin and No. 2 Vanessa Wang, both of whom are eighth graders. The Clarence coach told Helfner after the match that he had never seen a deeper high school tennis team.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Guarav Passi confirmed that the school will hold a coronation and party to celebrate the achievement. The team is also in discussions about receiving championship rings. The victory concludes a season defined by resilience and depth, culminating in a perfect performance at the national center.