Sophomore helps Pirates advance to CJ IV boys’ final
By: Justin Feil
Shintaro Mori has been one of the deciding points in several 3-2 wins for the West Windsor-Plainsboro South boys’ tennis team.
But the Pirate sophomore had yet to experience anything like Thursday’s Central Jersey Group IV semifinal match against Manalapan, the Pirates sophomore had never felt such pressure.
"I felt a lot," Mori said. "I knew that Russell’s (Nitzberg, second singles) match was over and he lost. I knew it was 2-2. I knew I had to win."
Win, or the Pirates’ state tournament would be over. To make matter worse, Mori started experiencing muscle cramps at the end of the second set as he went to a third set with Casey Jedlinski. Maybe that’s why he wrapped it up so quickly, alleviating all the pressure with a convincing 6-2 third set to send the Pirates by the third-seeded Manalapan into the CJ IV final against East Brunswick 4 p.m. today at South Brunswick.
"The kid that Shintaro played was good," said WW-PS head coach Jim Giovacchini after his team improved to 20-0 with a 5-0 win over Lawrence on Friday. "Good enough to get himself into singles tournament, which not many third singles players can do. The kid had one weakness though. It was his foot speed. He could do everything else."
Mori’s cramps appeared to be his only weakness, though inside he was nervous with members of both teams watching the conclusion of his match, the biggest of his brief career.
"Against Peddie," Mori said, "our first lost and second won by default and I was in the third set with the other two (flights). I was nervous then too."
Mori doesn’t expect those same nerves when the Pirates challenge East Brunswick in a situation similar to when they took on Princeton High in last year’s CJ III finals. Though WW-P South carries the No. 2 seed and East Brunswick the No. 5, there’s little argument who’s the favorite.
"Last year, Princeton had three nationally ranked players," Giovacchini said. "That was an impossible task. And their two doubles teams were unbelievable.
"This is a really difficult task in a best-of-five when three of the five are all playing in the state tournament. I have none."
Yet, the Pirates have continued to win using the strength of their last three flights led by Morri.
"Shintaro is quite a talented player," Giovacchini said. "Benny (Gordon-Goldstein, the Pirates’ No. 1), Russell, Shintaro and Brian (Lee from first doubles) even, they’re interchangeable. Whoever plays one has toughest task and whoever plays three has easiest task."
Mori lost two challenge matches to Nitzberg, but is playing as well as anyone in the lineup. Part of that can be attributed to finally being healthy, and getting over the effects of a serious deterrent to his training.
"I think I’m improving every year," said Mori, who started playing shortly after moving to West Windsor from Japan four years ago. "My least improvement was last year to this year because I had tennis elbow and I couldn’t play tennis for three months in the winter. It’s OK now. It’s 100 percent."
It makes South’s chances of winning 100 percent better than without him. Last year, he played second doubles as a freshman, and garnered the team’s award for the most improved. The more he plays, the better he gets.
"My mom plays tennis and I used to go to her matches (in Japan)," he said. "After they were over, I’d play for fun with my mom’s racket."
Now he has his own racket as well as a game that continues to improve. Around a return to Japan to see family this summer, he’s planning on attending a high-level tennis camp as he continues to develop into a force for a team that’s surpassed all his pre-season expectations.
"This is a good team, a great team," he said. "We’re still undefeated. I didn’t think we’d do that."
To remain unbeaten, the Pirates now have a task of topping East Brunswick, which has only lost to the state’s top team, Newark Academy. And even though his match is certain to be crucial to WW-P South’s chances, Mori isn’t as nerved by the matchup.
"There’s less pressure," Mori said. "They’re higher ranked so there’s less pressure on everyone. We all have to try our best."
For Mori, the best keeps getting better, and that bodes well for the Pirates as they seek their first sectional crown in four years.
"Some guys come out strong at the beginning of the season," Giovacchini said. "Some guys continue to improve. Shintaro, last year he was my most improved player. I don’t know if he’ll get it this year, but he does seem to improve as the season goes on."
Mori needed his rest after Thursday’s thrilling win, but expects to be at full strength against East Brunswick. He’ll need to be, and the Pirates will need him, just as they did Thursday.
"He handles pressure well," Giovacchini said. "He was nervous. He’s only a sophomore. The weight of the world came down on him."
Shintaro Mori delivered to throw that weight aside and lift the WW-P South boys’ tennis team into the sectional finals today.