NBC tennis starts 5-0

By: Sean Moylan
   Secretly, Larry Young knew his Northern Burlington County Regional High School boys’ varsity tennis team had the ability to get off to a great start.
   However, there were a lot of "ifs" being that the team was so young and inexperienced.
   Nonetheless, with a 3-2 win at Cinnaminson this past Monday, the charging Greyhounds pumped their record to a perfect 5-0.
   "I kind of thought we’d be (5-0) if things fell into place. But the biggest surprise is how we are winning matches," said Young, whose young stars are playing good, smart "veteran" type tennis.
   Against the Pirates, the Greyhounds won for two huge reasons — the play of Jaren Anacan (first singles) and the play of Doug Zytko and Hassan Chaudhry at first doubles.
   "We didn’t play great but our first doubles played very well. They are 5-0. They haven’t played a bad match yet."
   While Chaudhry and Zytko won a fairly easy 6-4, 6-2 match over Tim Lane and Jeff Haas, Anacan worked his tail off to top Andrew Pearlstein 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 at the top spot.
   "He (Anacan) was the deciding match," said Young, who also got an easy 6-2, 6-1 victory out of his second singles star David Isenman.
   NBC clubbed the Falcons 5-0 at Burlington Township on April 6 as Anacan (first singles), Isenman (second singles), Ryan Quinn (third singles) all recorded big wins in singles.
   Then last Thursday, Anacan (first singles), Isenman (second singles), Quinn (third singles), Zytko and Chaudhry (first doubles) and David Tong and Brandon D’Amato (second doubles) were all straight set victors in NBC’s 5-0 victory over Pemberton at Northern Burlington.
   Then on Friday NBC hosted Rancocas Valley and captured a 3-2 decision.
   Anacan beat Christian Higginbotham 6-2, 6-4, Isenman topped Ryan Fish 6-3, 4-6, 6-0 and Chaudhry and Zytko beat Tim Collura and Tim Papp 6-0, 6-3 to account for NBC’s 3 wins.
   Although NBC is playing well, Young would still like to get in more practice time for his club.
   This week, NBC is scheduled at Moorestown today (Thursday). It is also scheduled to host Willingboro tomorrow (Friday) and Delran on Monday.
   FLORENCE

   Usually 1-2 squads are not the most confident of units.
   However, all the pieces started falling into place for the Florence Township Memorial High School coed varsity tennis team with a 5-0 home win over Willingboro on Monday. The Flashes didn’t just win they dominated with one skilled shot after another.
   "It’s coming!" said Florence head coach Ovi Dragos, who works countless hours with his squad.
   "We have a very strong first singles (Luis Gutierez) and Danny (Senni) is very strong too (at second singles)."
   When Dragos doesn’t have to mention his steadiest units, Joe Molimock and Stuart Lopez (first doubles) and Jonathan Hand (third singles), one knows things are going well.
   Gutierez lost just one second set game in his two-set sweep over Stephen K. of Willingboro.
   But it was Senni who threw all kinds of different looks at Kyle Price in a 6-0, 6-1 victory.
   "I’m working with Danny on top spin. Against Willingboro he saw the difference," said Dragos.
   At third singles, Hand only lost one game. And Molimock and Lopez shut out their first doubles opponent.
   Dragos paired Tom Allen with Eric Centofanti at second doubles and Allen looked good in his first varsity match. The Florence tandem won all but one game.
   Even so, Dragos worked with Centofanti, Allen and Scott Rein (the team’s other second doubles player) after the match. They should be more aggressive than ever the next time out.
   Last Wednesday, despite a beautiful 6-2, 6-2 third singles victory by Hand over Gene Garb, Delran nipped Florence 3-2.
   "Jon Hand did his job again," said Dragos.
   Florence’s primary problem in the match was Delran’s McCaffrey brothers were just too strong.
   Sean McCaffrey beat Gutierez 6-3, 6-4 in a well-played first singles match. And Brett McCaffrey slipped by Senni 7-5, 6-2 (although Senni nearly won the first set) in second singles.
   Lopez and Molimock (first doubles) beat Mike Broadbent and Andrew Smith 6-3, 6-4.
   "Stuart Lopez and Joe Molimock played great," added Dragos.
   Unfortunately, Delran’s Tyler Stakowitcz and Ross Dobes beat Rein and Centofanti 6-0, 7-5 in second doubles.
   Florence is getting ready to make its move. It was scheduled at Cinnaminson yesterday (Wednesday). Florence is scheduled at Burlington City on Friday and at Pemberton on Monday. Then on Tuesday Florence is scheduled to host Palmyra. The match originally scheduled at Delran on April 22 has been rescheduled for May 5.