SOUTH BRUNSWICK: Viking tennis team is on the move

by Rich Fisher, Sports Editor
   The South Brunswick High School tennis team is off to such a strong start this season, coach Nancy McDonald has already become superstitious.
   She has decided not to alter certain things, for fear it could offset her team’s 5-2 getaway, including a 5-0 mark in the Greater Middlesex Conference’s Red Division.
   Hey, whatever works.
   ”Obviously I couldn’t be more pleased with our start after playing all the conference teams the first time,” McDonald said. “Our two freshmen and first and second singles (Nikhil Roy and Rohan Bhatia) have held up very well facing top high school singles competition.
   ”Hopefully, with continued good play throughout the (Greater Middlesex Conference) Tournament, we will be in contention for a team title.”
   That tournament gets underway today (Thursday) as rain pushed it back from Wednesday’s scheduled start. The Vikings got a top seed in first doubles team Karan Bhatia-Varun Reddy, while Rohan Bhatia and third singles Ed Rodionov are seeded second. Roy and second doubles Skanda Amarnath-Ravin Puri are third seeded.
   In the big picture, the Vikings have qualified for the state tournament as a team and first doubles also qualified for states. McDonald is hoping the early success will serve as a building block rather than a mirage.
   ”My words to the team this week were ‘It’s now how you start, but how you finish,’” McDonald said. “Hopefully we can continue our winning ways.”
   Just don’t jinx it.