In perusing the local newspapers I stumbled upon a box score for the Dartmouth boy's tennis team in the
South Coast Today. If you look closely at the first team doubles for the Indians it is none other than star football players and Shriner Game participants Sean Sylvia (pictured below) and Justin Mello (pictured above). It peaked my interest enough (I couldn't recollect any other football/tennis players in my years of watching high school sports) that I decided to find out the answer as to how tennis came about and other questions regarding their high school careers. The interviews were done separately via the phone so neither player knew the others answer.
Beano: How would you rate your senior season in football and basketball?Mello: Not as good as out junior year because we didn't get to the Super Bowl. We made the playoffs in both sports but couldn't get the job done in the end.
Sylvia: We had a good season. We made the playoffs in both sports but come playoff time where either you win or go home, we let it get away from us.
Beano: What was the highlight of you senior season?Mello: The 20 TD's I scored. It has only been done by one other player in Dartmouth history that being JT (Dartmouth/UConn's Jordan Todman). It is always nice being mentioned in the same statistical category as him.
Sylvia: The Attleboro game. We fell behind by 14 early and it was only my second game back from my injury. We really clicked offensively and ended up winning the game convincingly.
Beano: What was the lowlight of the season?Mello: The Brockton game, no question. We came out flat, and couldn't get our passing game going. I hardly carried the ball at all. We got going in the second half but it was too little, too late.
Sylvia: The Brockton game. The first half we had no intensity. It's funny Brockton smoked us my sophomore season and I think they took us lightly my junior year (Dartmouth won). This year the roles were reversed. We came back with a veteran team but they were ready to play and smacked us in the mouth. I still think if there were 11 minute quarters we would have won this year though.
Beano: What was the most memorable game you played in in high school in any sport?Mello: The Super Bowl against Everett. It was so intense and we were ready to play.
Sylvia: The Super Bowl against Everett. Probably the best game I played in my entire career. I actually had 22 tackles in the game.
Beano: What are your plans for next year; College, Prep, other?Mello: Either UMass or UNH. I plan to try and make the football team as a walk-on.
Sylvia: Cheshire Academy (CT) to play football. My injury hurt my recruiting this year.
Beano: Are you looking forward to the Shriner's football game?Mello: Very much so. As you can see football is my first choice and I can't wait to get back out there and play for such a good cause.
Sylvia: Can't wait. We need to raise $100,000 dollars by getting pledges and donations. My father and I have already started the process. When you see the patients that are helped by these funds it really puts things in perspective. As far as the game goes Coach White said he will probably try and play me at safety.
Beano: If you were granted a wish of one more year of eligibilty but could only pick one sport to play, what would you choose.Mello: Football. Really not a very hard decision.
Sylvia: Football. You probably don't know this but I NEVER played football until my freshman year. I was a soccer player for the Storm SC (soccer club). I actually tried to back out of freshman football tryouts but my father wouldn't let me. Once I tried it I loved it. The coach told me to play middle linebacker and just tackle the guy with the ball. I continued playing soccer through my freshman year, then stopped.
Beano: How in the world did you end up playing tennis? (Note: both players had played 3 years of high school baseball)Mello: Basically, I was spent for every game being so competitive all the time. It wasn't fun anymore. We had a run in all sports where every game was a must win. I needed a break and tennis seemed like it was a way to stay occupied but at a less fevorish pace. It's funny but now that Sean and I are first team doubles we are right back to playing our hearts out.
Sylvia: We were sitting around and trying to decide what to do besides play baseball. Coach White asked me to come out for track and throw the javelin but that didn't sound exciting to me. So we decided to all try out for the tennis team. I knew it wasn't just a goof when three of my buddies were cut. I was very close to getting cut and started out on second team doubles. It seemed like a much more relaxed atmosphere at practice but we take the matches serious.
Beano: Last question, if you could only pick one idol who would it be, Tom Brady or Rafael Nadal?Mello: Nadal. I'm not really a Brady fan.
Sylvia: Brady. He's a winner.
I'd like to thank Dartmouth tennis
Coach Jim McGonigle for coordinating the interviews and I would especially like to thank Sean and Justin who are two extremely polite, well-spoken individuals. I hope their future is a complete success.
Gary Higgins/Patriot Ledger
