Helps Falcons to tennis win
By: Ken Weingartner
If Kevin Stanley leads by example, he put forth one worthy of emulation on Wednesday.
Stanley, the only senior on the Monroe Township High boys’ tennis team, rallied from deficits in the third set and in a tiebreaker to defeat Perth Amboy’s Julio Manso, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7-4). Stanley improved to 2-0 at third singles and helped the Falcons even their record at 1-1 this season.
"It was great," Monroe coach Jim Kushner said. "He played to win. His body language and his strokes showed that. Some guys are afraid to hit the ball; Kevin was not afraid to the ball. His opponent was not afraid to hit the ball, either. That was good tennis at the end. It wasn’t one boy losing; it was one boy doing what he had to do to win with both guys making quality shots.
"If (Stanley) can continue to do that, he’s going to have a really fine season."
Stanley considers his mental toughness a strength and it showed as he fought back from a 5-1 deficit in the third set and from a 4-3 deficit in the tiebreaker.
"I have the ability to stay in the game and stay with it," Stanley said. "I just reset myself. I wasn’t going to lose. You take a drink, stretch, and get back. I was getting tired, but I got a boost of energy."
As the team’s senior captain, Stanley knows it is important to work hard.
"I just sort of boost morale and get them in the game and playing well; just trying their hardest every time," he said.
Stanley was not alone in posting wins Wednesday. Sophomore Gabe Murtha won at first singles and freshman Anurag Coramutla followed suit at second singles. The first doubles team of Smit Purohit and Kyle Anaker and the second doubles squad of Ruhil Shah and Andrew DiNicola also posted victories.
"If our younger guys can develop some confidence, I think we’re talented enough to qualify for the state tournament and to perhaps compete for the division," Kushner said. "Right now, we’re a little green. It sounds like a cliche: ‘We’re working hard.’ But we are working hard.
"I have good leadership in Kevin Stanley and Smit Purohit and Kyle Anaker. They’re good kids, hard-working kids, and lead by doing what they’re supposed to do. The other kids see it." If there’s been a surprise to start the season for Monroe, which was 11-10 last season, it is the emergence of Murtha at first singles. Kushner put Murtha No. 8 in the preseason stepladder competition for the singles spots.
"That will prove how smart I am," said a chuckling Kushner, who has been coaching at Monroe for more than two decades. "It utterly surprised me. But he never gives up on a point and he keeps the ball in play. I don’t care what level you’re at, if you can keep the ball in play, you can hang around in matches.
"He plays some very talented first singles players. We’ll see how his style works. I’m happy with him."
Despite their youth and inexperience, it could be an interesting season for the Falcons. Purohit and Anaker are both juniors while Shah is a sophomore and DiNicola, like Coramutla, is a freshman.
"As the freshmen progress, we’ll progress," Kushner said. "As our sophomores and juniors come along, we should get better. I’m looking forward to the season."