By: Sean Moylan
Anyone who has followed the Florence Township Memorial High School tennis team the past two years can tell you all about the superior talent and ability of players like Jon Hand, Joe Molimock, Stuart Lopez, Andrew Munger and Eric Centofanti.
But in last Wednesday’s 5-0 win at Willingboro, Florence Coach Ovi Dragos was able to showcase what he hopes will be his "stars of the future."
While Molimock, a junior, has been an established player for a couple of years now, he never had an opportunity to play at first singles until last week’s match versus the Chimeras’ top player Gabriel Barboza. Amazingly, Molimock won all 12 of his first singles games versus Barboza.
"He’s learning. He’s coming along very well," said Dragos, who is impressed by Molimock’s understanding of the game. Dragos gave Milorad Milosovici a rare start at second singles and all the talented Florence freshman did was win a lopsided 6-2,6-2 decision over Jadean Blasse.
At third singles, Florence freshman Ben Pinter also was awarded a start, and he too made good use of it, beating Willingboro’s Felix Grasser 6-1,6-1.
"He played very nice tennis," said Dragos of Pinter, one the Flashes’ hardest workers in practices.
Francisco Gordillo and Tommy Allen, who usually see action at second doubles, moved up to play first doubles where they defeated Varney Fabulak and Marcus Latimore 6-0,6-1. Florence’s Hans Lopez and Usman Huk didn’t lose a single game in their second doubles win over a Chimeras duo.
"Everything worked out so well," added Dragos "It was a good first varsity match for Milorad (Milosovici), Ben Pinter and Usman (Huk)."
This past Tuesday Florence went back to its regular lineup against Burlington City. Nevertheless the results were the same as the Flashes crushing the Blue Devils 5-0 at Florence.
Hand, back at first singles, clobbered the Blue Devils’ Justin Vag 6-2,6-1. Eric Centofanti captured a 6-4, 6-2 decision against a quality player in Nasir Uddin (second doubles).
"Eric (Centofanti) had a pretty good day," added Dragos. And, of course, Molimock polished off City’s Tyler Hemple 6-1,6-0 at third singles.
After taking a match off, the Florence first doubles duo of Stuart Lopez and Andrew Munger showed no rust in a beautiful 6-0, 6-0 win over Shane Hajzer and George Moore. Meanwhile Gordillo and Allen blanked City’s Nashawn Jordan and Donovan Linder at second doubles.
Florence (4-1) is scheduled to play the opening round of the Burlington County Open today (Thursday) at Veteran’s Park. The tournament shifts over to the Moorestown courts tomorrow (Friday). Florence is scheduled to host Delran on Monday.
NBC
While the team would have liked to have played more early-season matches, the Northern Burlington County Regional High School boys’ varsity tennis team is currently playing terrific tennis. Moreover, in last Thursday’s 5-0 home win over Pemberton, NBC discovered it was a pretty deep team too.
"We played very well against Pemberton. My biggest surprise was at second doubles, because we started a junior varsity doubles team there and they (Vashal Thacker and Huntley Nolan) won in straight sets (6-4,6-0)," said Larry Young, the head coach of the Greyhounds. "Thacker is going to play in the (Burlington County) Open."
NBC’s second doubles team beat Pemberton’s Dennis Ahrens and Nick Stopkowitz.
At first singles, NBC’s Jaren Anacan is a dominant player once again. In fact, he had no trouble beating Pemberton’s Andrew DiGirolano 6-0, 6-4.
"Jaren (Anacan) played well. In the second set he was working on stuff. It was 3-4 and he just took off in the last three games (of the second set)," noted Young.
Meanwhile NBC’s Ryan Quinn blanked Kyle Butler at second singles and Doug Zytko won all 12 games in his straight sets win over Pemberton’s Jason Gadlap (third singles).
At first doubles, Northern’s Hassan Chaudhry and Brian Foran experienced little difficulty in defeating Dave Zambrano and Marcell Jackson 6-0, 6-0.
NBC (3-2) is well-rested for today’s scheduled opening round of the Burlington County Open at Veteran’s Park. Tomorrow the B.C. Open is scheduled to resume at Moorestown. NBC is scheduled at Burlington Township on Monday.

