By: Sean Moylan
The Northern Burlington County Regional High School boys’ varsity tennis team has a chance to be a playoff club this season but it needs to win all the matches it’s supposed to win and capture the toss-up matches too.
On Monday, the Greyhounds answered their first challenge when they downed the Holy Cross Lancers, 4-1, at Northern Burlington.
"We did well," said Northern Burlington head coach Larry Young.
"The conditions were extreme (with the wind)."
Ryan Quinn’s 6-4, 7-5 victory over Holy Cross’ Mike Jung in third singles was perhaps the day’s best match.
"He (Quinn) just competed. It’s kind of been my main theme (competing) this year," noted Young, who liked the way his club battled.
Northern’s Jaren Acacen (first singles) posted an impressive win 6-4, 6-3 over Niko Paleogus.
After a 2-6 loss in the first set, NBC’s David Isenmen rebounded to beat Jeff Luebeke with 6-3 wins in the second and third sets. Doug Zytko and Hassan Chaudhry, NBC’s first doubles team, which could be one of the Greyhounds’ major strengths this season, clobbered Mike Edmonds and Tim McAneny 6-3, 6-0. However, Holy Cross’ Brian Bink and Francis Garcia got by David Tong and Brandon D’Amato 6-4, 6-2 in second doubles.
According to Young, it was very important for his team to have started out the season with a win because being such a young unit it needs to build self-confidence.
NBC (1-0) had little time to savor its victory though. It was scheduled at Burlington Township yesterday (Wednesday). NBC is scheduled to host Pemberton today (Thursday) and Rancocas Valley on Friday. On Monday, NBC is scheduled at Cinnaminson.
FLORENCE
Ovi Dragos got just what he wanted in his Florence Township Memorial High School coed varsity tennis team’s opener at Moorestown this past Monday.
No, the Flashes did not top the mighty Quakersin fact, Moorestown won 5-0. What Florence got was a fabulous workout against the team which many consider to be the best in the area.
"Every time you get beat badly you get more (aggressive)," noted Dragos.
"It was so windy it was unbelievable…What can I sayMoorestown’s a lot better than it was last year (which was a great season for the Quakers)."
While all of the Flashes lost in straight sets, Dragos made an arrangement with the Moorestown coach for his players to play an extra set against the Quakers’ second unit. Those extra sets sharpened the individual games of the Flashes’ players.
In a match that "counted" on the scoreboard Moorestown’s Kevin Klepacki topped Luis Gutierez 6-0, 6-0 in first singles.
"Luis (Gutierez) has to learn how to play (at a first singles level). Plus that guy (Klepacki) was very good," said Dragos, who expects big things out of Gutierez. Gutierez had a couple of advantages but he couldn’t quite escape with any game victories.
In second singles Moorestown’s James Sparacio beat a sick Daniel Senni 6-0, 6-1.
Nonetheless, Dragos was pleased with Senni’s performance and he noted, "He played much better in the second set. It was 2-1 in the second set."
Moorestown’s Aneesh Gupta beat Jonathan Hand 6-0, 6-1 in third singles. Pawel Buczak and Ashwin Chandar defeated Joe Mollimock and Stuart Lopez 6-0, 6-0 in first doubles. Mike Furey and Ryan Libster topped Scott Rein and Eric Centofanti 6-0, 6-0 in third singles.
Still, all of the Flashes battled.
"It was good preparation (for yesterday’s home match versus Delran). It was good because everyone had a chance to play three sets," said Dragos.
"I’m glad we played Moorestown."
Dragos may be tough on his clubin fact the kids had 30 practices in 30 days. However, his heart is always in the right place.
"They know they have in me a friend," said Dragos, who’ll do what it takes to make each and every one of his players a better tennis player.
In addition to hosting Delran yesterday (Wednesday), the Flashes are scheduled at home versus Willingboro on Monday.

