The 2026 RHS Boys Tennis team ended a rollercoaster season with a 7-12 record after losing to Tenafly 5-0 in the quarterfinal round of states on Tuesday, May 26.

In what started out as a difficult season at 0-8, the Rams stepped up their game to finish strong, going 7-3 in their last 10 games before suffering the quarterfinal loss.

“I think we experienced a lot of growth as a team, and this is really exhibited by our scores against Morris Knolls,” head coach Daniel DiNozzi said. “The first time we played them, we lost 4-1. The next time we played them, we won 3-2.  The last time we played them, in the first round of the state tournament, we won 4-1.”

Leading the way for the Rams was their captain and first singles player, junior Kasuhik Kanugula, who led the team in singles wins with nine. Like the team, Kanugula also had a strong second half of the season, going 7-4 in his final 11 matches.

“It was a tough journey at the start but with all of us together, we finished strong,” Kanugula said. “Being captain of the team, I was grateful for that.”

The 2025-26 season started in late March when the team opened in Montville, suffering a close 3-2 loss. That was just the start of an eight-game skid for the Rams as they suffered additional losses to Chatham twice, Madison, Knolls, Delbarton, Mendham and Montville again.

“Going 0-8 was tough,” senior captain Mehul Makhija said, “but by the end of the season, I was proud of the team we had become, and happy to end my senior season with this team.”

It wasn’t until nearly a month later that the Rams secured their first win versus Mountain Lakes on April 21. The first match victory was secured in by second doubles as junior Mark Hurley and Makhija came through in the clutch.

The team garnered its second win of the season against Morris Hills, then dropped the next three games. After a rough first 13 games, the team did a complete one-eighty, winning their next four regular season games against Morristown, Morris Knolls, West Morris and Morristown Beard.

The players carried that momentum into the first round of states, destroying Knolls once again, 4-1, on May 22.

In the quarterfinals of states, Randolph matched up against Tenafly for the second consecutive year. After losing to that team last year, Randolph looked to get revenge but suffered the same fate as last year, losing 5-0.

“I am really proud of the team for how we bounced back from that rough start, to still compete for the rest of the season,” DiNozzi said. “With five of the seven varsity starters returning, we have a bright future for next year.”

After the turbulent start, the 2025-26 season was ultimately a success as the Rams finished strong, going 7-4 in the last 11 matches, while also advancing past the first round in states.