Sayreville War Memorial A lthough Sayreville War Memorial High School’s boys tennis team posted a 13-6 record last spring, the Bombers fell short of their goal to win the Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC) White Division title for what would have been the fifth successive season.
Now coach Mike Provenza’s team is looking to reclaim the top spot in the division, and the Bombers got off to a good start on April 1 with a 5-0 whitewashing of Bishop George Ahr High School. While the coach was clearly pleased with the win, the key for his team this time around will be winning the close matches.
“In the past, we’ve usually found a way to win. But last year we lost too many 3-2 matches and that cost us in the end,” said Provenza, whose team reached the NJSIAA Central Group IV tournament, where it was eliminated in the opening round. “We have to find a way to get that third point this season.”
There are plenty of reasons for optimism as the blue-and-gray returns an experienced senior-laden lineup led by Matt Musyoka at first singles. The senior enters his fourth varsity campaign looking to add to his career total of 66 wins.
A year ago, Musyoka turned in a 13-4 record and reached the semifinals of the GMC Tournament after reaching the finals in 2011. Musyoka’s forte is consistency and an accurate forehand. He has also gained some strength in the offseason, Provenza said.
Sophomore Anuj Tevar moves up to the second singles role after going 10-6 in the third sport as a freshman. The coach said that Tevar has worked hard to improve his game and gain strength. He combines a solid baseline game with a willingness to aggressively come to the net.
In the third spot, junior Hamza Shaikh, who played for the junior varsity last year, has been a pleasant surprise in earning the starting nod.
“Hamza kind of came out of the woodwork,” Provenza said. “I didn’t know what to expect from him, but he has improved quite a bit and he looks very good on the court. He certainly has spent a lot of time practicing.”
Ron Shah, who played a fair amount at second doubles, moves into the first slot, where he is paired with fellow senior Aman
Upadhyay, whose backcourt game and serves blend well with Shah’s strong net game.
Shivam Dalal and junior Daren Ha will be at second doubles. Dalal combined with the graduated Ryan Zucker to produce 10 wins a year ago, while Ha frequently played with Shah and did well.
Will Sit, a senior, is Provenza’s utility man and will likely see action in both singles and doubles. In addition, freshman Pranaz Datla has shown good skill and will get playing time as the season progresses, Provenza said.
“This is a tight-knit team that works well together,” the coach said. “We didn’t have any scrimmages because of the weather, so we focused on challenge matches and I think that really helped us.”
Sayreville will look for its second win on April 4 at John F. Kennedy High School before hosting South River in a non-conference matchup on April 5. White division foe South Plainfield High School comes to town on April 6.