However, in that moment, with one deficit and one waning lead, each duo seemed to flip a switch simultaneously.

Trailing 3-2, No. 1 doubles duo Abram Paulhamus and Luke Sarge would win ten of its last 12 matches while Dillon Harsanyi and Dylan Hensler followed suit at Doubles Court 2, winning nine of their last 11. And after sweeping doubles, Saul Hensler clinched his team’s semifinal bid with a gentlemen’s sweep at Singles Court 3, as Jersey Shore swept Selinsgrove, 3-0, without dropping a set.

While the match was tense at times, the Bulldogs locked in when they needed to and quickly put the minds of Hensler and Shore’s fans at ease. With the win, Jersey Shore (17-0) will face the winner of No. 4 Lewisburg and No. 5 Wellsboro at a time and place to be determined.

“We got down a little bit, but they kind of got their rhythm going and powered through to the end,” said Hensler. “Once we picked up the two doubles points, I think that put the guys at ease. Then, (Saul Hensler) played a heck of a match, came out quick and got it done.”

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Jersey Shore's Abram Paulhamus, left, and Luke Sarge, right, prepare for action during a District 4 Class AA team quarterfinal against Selinsgrove on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at Jersey Shore. The Bulldogs won 3-0.

For Paulhamus and Sarge, the shots weren’t clearing the net as much as they wanted them to, and Selinsgrove’s John Ke and Grant Renn did a solid job putting pressure on them early in sets.

Each set saw the Bulldogs trail, with the most notable example being that aforementioned 3-2 deficit. There, the duo was able to even the score before the set’s defining sequence took place.

In a deadlocked seventh game, Selinsgrove managed to reset deuce twice, creating tension as Paulhamus and Sarge worked to secure their first lead. But an ace from Sarge granted the duo their third advantage point. Then, the duo forced chase before Sarge sealed it with a drop shot right behind the net.

That win served as the catapult to their eventual, straight-set victory, as they wouldn’t drop another game until early in the second.

“It’s a big mental win to win those big deuce points because it’s such a long fight and losing it can put you pretty down,” said Sarge on the moment. “It probably affected their game, and it helped us out when we won that.”

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Jersey Shore's Abram Paulhamus performs a fore-hand return during a District 4 Class AA team quarterfinal against Selinsgrove on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at Jersey Shore. The Bulldogs won 3-0.

While the pairing would trail 2-1 early in the second, five straight victories ensured their victory. Solid chemistry led to consistent overhead spikes and drop shots in front, which was aided by the duo consistently forcing chase with shots over the Seals’ heads.

“Lobs, our lobs were pretty good,” said Paulhamus, referring to those chase-forcing shots.

“Yeah, the lob game, and we were aiming for their backhands whenever we could,” agreed Sarge.

At Doubles Court 2, Harsanyi and Hensler – coined D-squared by Shore’s fans – got the ball rolling early before seeing their initial lead quickly evaporate. Selinsgrove’s serves started giving the Bulldog duo problems, as they narrowed their 3-0 gap to one.

However, communication is the name of the game in doubles, and good communication kept the Shore duo’s heads in the game. With Hensler controlling action at the net and Harsanyi handling the deep balls in back, they quickly re-established control, closing out the first with three straight wins before carrying that momentum into the second.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Jersey Shore's Luke Sarge chases a ball during a District 4 Class AA team quarterfinal against Selinsgrove on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at Jersey Shore. The Bulldogs won 3-0.

“They brought it to 3-2, so we knew we had to step it up a little bit,” said Hensler. “We adapted to that one kid’s serves that were really good, and we had good communication, good switches and good play at the net.”

“We’re kind of working on how we talk well,” said Harsanyi. “Him being at the net, and me being in the back. That’s the biggest thing.”

They’d go on to never trail in the second set, taking the first game and quickly getting out to a 4-1 lead. From there, the duos would trade games before Harsanyi and Hensler pulled off what they referred to as the ‘greatest comeback ever’ to seal the deal.

Trailing 40-0 with a three-game cushion, each believed they could rally to clinch the victory. They’d narrow the gap to 40-30 before a crushing overhead shot from Hansanyi forced deuce. The Bulldogs then quickly gained advantage, and strong serve from Hensler completed the comeback.

“We knew we would come back. We just always get in that mindset,” said Harsanyi on that game.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Jersey Shore's Dylan Hensler performs a forehand return during a District 4 Class AA team quarterfinal against Selinsgrove on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at Jersey Shore. The Bulldogs won 3-0.

“I said, ‘greatest comeback ever,’ and then we came back,” emphasized Hensler. “(That serve) was right at the corner of the box, so he had a really hard time getting it.”

With momentum on its side following doubles, the Bulldogs would run away with it from there. District 4 singles champion Ryder Fink, Ezra Paulhamus and Saul Hensler combined to go 4-0 in sets, with Hensler being the one to seal the deal with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Joaquin Basu.

“His ground strokes were looking really, really good,” said Coach Hensler when discussing Saul Hensler’s match. “Some of the unforced errors on the other side really helped him get some confidence to hit his normal shots, which I think helped a lot.”

On the season, the victory marked the team’s 17th in a row, a streak they hope to carry forward as they prepare for their next match.

Either Wellsboro or Lewisburg could certainly present a challenge for the Bulldogs, with both their regular season matches going the distance at 3-2. They’ll look to prepare accordingly, as they shoot for their first District 4 finals appearance of the 2020s.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Jersey Shore's Dillon Harsanyi performs a fore-hand return during a District 4 Class AA team quarterfinal against Selinsgrove on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at Jersey Shore. The Bulldogs won 3-0.

“They were two of the tougher teams we’ve played, so I think we’ll have a challenge with either of them,” said Hensler on Lewisburg and Wellsboro. “We won those matches, so I think they can do it again.”

DISTRICT 4 CLASS AA TEAM QUARTERFINALS

Jersey Shore 3, Selinsgrove 0

SINGLES

1. Ryder Fink (JS) led Mac Defazio (S) 6-0, 3-0. 2. Ezra Paulhamus (JS) led Lomond Rodgers (S) 6-4, 0-0. 3. Saul Hensler (JS) def. Joaquin Basu (S) 6-1, 6-0.

DOUBLES

1. Abram Paulhamus (Js) def. John Ke/Grant Renn 6-3, 6-2. 2. Dillon Harsanyi/Dylan Hensler (Js) Def. Nathan Lauver/Noah Scholl 6-2, 6-2.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Jersey Shore's Saul Hensler performs a backhand return during a District 4 Class AA team quarterfinal against Selinsgrove on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at Jersey Shore. The Bulldogs won 3-0.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Jersey Shore's Ezra Paulhamus chases a ball during a District 4 Class AA team quarterfinal against Selinsgrove on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at Jersey Shore. The Bulldogs won 3-0.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Jersey Shore's Ezra Paulhamus performs a forehand return during a District 4 Class AA team quarterfinal against Selinsgrove on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at Jersey Shore. The Bulldogs won 3-0.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Jersey Shore's Ryder Fink performs a backhand return during a District 4 Class AA team quarterfinal against Selinsgrove on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at Jersey Shore. The Bulldogs won 3-0.