Steven Wu takes over at first singles
By: Rudy Brandl
Depth and balance throughout the lineup will make the Hillsborough High boys’ tennis team tough to beat this spring.
HHS head coach Larry Johnson may not have a championship caliber player at any position, but he’s confident that all seven varsity starters possess the skill, savvy and experience to produce victories on a consistent basis. The Raiders won’t have a weak spot in their lineup. The program is blessed once again with a quality group of tennis players who have been working on their games all year.
"I like the parity on our team," Johnson said. "We’ve had a gradual downslope in previous years, but this year our No. 7 can practice with our No. 1. We’re pretty deep this year. That’s our strength."
Freshman Steven Wu won the pre-season challenge for the first singles position. He takes over for his brother John, who graduated after one year at the No. 1 spot. Steven Wu is the first freshman to occupy the first singles position since Thomas Kinrade arrived on the scholastic scene in 2002 and remained in the top spot for four years.
Johnson likes what he’s seen from his new No. 1 player so far.
"He’s got a very complete game," Johnson said. "I knew he worked a lot and he plays a lot. I see him on the courts, but I’m still learning about him. He’s consistent and he’s got pace. He has a good service and he comes to the net. He’s a complete player."
Hillsborough also boasts a returning player with experience at second singles in senior Chris Plaskon, who begins his third varsity season as a singles player. Plaskon has been a key member of the HHS lineup in the past two seasons and should be a force again this spring.
Junior Stefan Apostolos, who split time between third singles and first doubles last spring, will play singles full-time this year.
"I like our singles lineup," Johnson said. "Chris is a very experienced player and he’s gotten better."
The doubles lineup was still up in the air entering the first week of the season. Returning first doubles player Tom Gross, who made a great tandem with fellow senior Ross Friedman, has been suffering from back pain. The Gross-Friedman combo obviously would be a huge asset for the Raiders and Johnson is hoping that works out again. They were very successful together last season.
Others in the mix for the doubles positions include returning second team player Tim Le and newcomers Neil Shah and Sam Klein. As always, Johnson isn’t giving away any positions. They all have to be earned on the court in the preseason.
"You have to play out all the challenges," Johnson said. "A lot of the kids have gotten better. I have to give everyone the opportunity to achieve the highest spot in the lineup. Ultimately, that’s in the best interest of the team."
Bad weather put the Raiders behind schedule in the preseason, so many challenges were still being played late last week. Johnson realizes he can’t control the weather or the injuries, so he wasn’t overly upset about the early setbacks. He remains confident that his players will get the job done.
The Skyland Conference will be competitive again this spring with HHS, Montgomery, Ridge, Watchung Hills and Bridgewater-Raritan returning strong teams from 2006. Add Pingry to the mix and Somerset County becomes a real dogfight.
Johnson likes his singles lineup, which includes two returning players and a potential star of the future. Team depth is a key element in successful doubles play, and the Raiders seem to have that covered.
"I don’t want to make any predictions, but I have a good feeling about this squad," Johnson said. "This group can do well because of the depth we have. We have more depth in our program than we’ve had in a while. There’s a lot of potential to do well."
The Raiders were scheduled to open the 2007 campaign with a home match vs. Watchung Hills and road contests at Moorestown and Voorhees this week.