Doubles teams make difference

RAIDER ROUNDUP

By: Rudy Brandl
   
   Hillsborough High boys’ tennis coach Larry Johnson was correct when stressing the importance of doubles play in team success earlier this season. That formula proved on the mark in last Friday’s Central Jersey Group 4 match against Manalapan at Nassau Tennis Club in Montgomery.
   The Raiders won both doubles matches to survive their first round playoff match by a 3-2 margin. Freshman Dan Cohen won a close match at second singles, but the Raiders needed victories in both doubles matches to prevail as a team.
   At first doubles, Dan Chou and John Wu rolled to a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Jeff Martin and Bryan Goldstein. Hillsborough’s second doubles team of Kevin Cooper and Will Daly fought off a second set rally attempt by Ryan Kurant and Dave Tshachnik in a 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) triumph.
   Cohen survived a 6-4, 7-5 challenge while moving up to second singles against Manalapan’s Andrew Kraemer. Ravi Ramasamy slid into the third singles slot and lost a tough three-setter, while first singles player Thomas Kinrade was beaten in straight sets.
   In regular season action, the Raiders posted a 4-1 victory over Delaware Division rival Watchung Hills.
   Kinrade rolled to a 6-2, 6-0 win over Eric Josephson, while Cohen also prevailed in straight sets. The Chou-Wu team was tested in a pair of 6-4 sets, while the Daly-Cooper unit won by a 6-2, 6-2 score.
   Watchung scored its point at second singles, where Jason Blumstein beat HHS senior Mohan Anand 6-1, 6-3.
Laxmen play in
tight games
   
The Raider boys’ lacrosse team played three consecutive one-goal games in a span of four days last week. Unfortunately, HHS dropped two of the three.
   After getting knocked out of the Somerset County Tournament on a heart-breaking overtime goal against Immaculata, the Raiders defeated North Hunterdon but lost their home night game to Watchung Hills on Thursday night.
   The Raiders used a four-goal second quarter to erase a 2-1 deficit and held on for a 6-5 triumph over North. Seniors Greg Roberts and Brett Russo each connected twice for the Raiders, while Ryan Mahlstedt and Steve Mitzak added one goal apiece. Goalkeeper Dan Glod made 14 saves for the winners.
   HHS tried to make it two wins in 24 hours in Thursday night’s home game but lost another overtime thriller. This one wasn’t decided until Watchung’s Vic Kausnik scored in the fourth extra period for a 5-4 victory.
   Mahlstedt and Russo scored two goals each for the Raiders, who saw a 3-1 halftime lead evaporate. Russo and Tom Rose were credited with assists and Glod made 15 saves in a losing cause.
   The Raiders (3-10) were scheduled to play at Old Bridge and Hunterdon Central this week.
Girls continue
offensive surge
   
The HHS girls’ lacrosse team continued its improved play in the second half of the season with victories over Phillipsburg (11-8) and New Providence (14-3) last week.
   Since opening the season with five straight losses, the Lady Raiders have posted a 4-2 record. The girls have cracked double figures in goals on a regular basis and reached a new season high in the home win over New Providence.
   Senior first home Katelyn Powers erupted for a career-high five goals and added two assists to account for half the team’s scoring. Katie DiGiovanni, Lisa Lin, Ali DeLuca and Krystina DeLuca each connected twice for the winners.
   Ali DeLuca and DiGiovanni fired in hat tricks in the road win at P’burg. Powers also connected twice, while Caitlyn Glowacki, Erin Poulter and Krystina McDonald chipped in with one goal apiece.
   HHS goalkeeper Alana Burman accumulated 11 saves in the two victories.
   The Hillsborough girls were scheduled to play at Bernards and at Montgomery this week, hoping to avenge a Somerset County Tournament loss against their Route 206 neighbors.
Golfers even record
during busy week
   
The Raider golfers returned to the .500 mark with a 218-233 victory over North Hunterdon on Thursday afternoon.
   Steve Cannon returned to his early season form with a 3-over-par round of 39 to join teammate Steve Golia in leading all players at the Hillsborough Country Club. Joe Vulih also had a solid round (41), while Chris Haas (49) and Matt Simonik (50) rounded out the team score.
   The team’s busy week opened with a 207-226 home loss to Montgomery. The Cougars sandwiched five scores between 39-43, while Hillsborough’s range went from 41-48. Golia carded that team-best 41, while Cannon and Vulih checked in with 45, Matt MacCrea shot 47 and Simonik shot 48.
   Hillsborough split a tri-meet against two Middlesex County teams at Bunker Hill, shooting 220 to beat Edison (257) easily but falling well short of an outstanding South Brunswick (189) squad. Five SBHS players broke 40 in the match.
   Cannon led a balanced Raider scorecard with a round of 41, followed by Vulih (43), MacCrea (44), John Senker (46) and Mike Venanzi (46).
   The Raiders (7-7) were scheduled to face Bridgewater-Raritan and Montgomery before competing in today’s Skyland Conference Championships.