Little Tiger boys team shows promise
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
The Princeton High School boys tennis team has not had to spend much time adjusting to its new head coach for this spring.
Christian Herzog has been a fixture in the program as an assistant coach to Sarah Hibbert for six years. He also teaches special education in the high school and sees plenty of his players in the hallways daily.
”They see me all the time,” Herzog said. “I feel I have a stronger bond with the boys. She has a stronger bond with the girls.”
Hibbert has stepped down as head coach this season after having her first child following the fall girls season, but will still be around to serve as assistant to Herzog for the boys.
”It’s not like I come here trying to oust her,” Herzog said. “I’m looking at it as I’m keeping the program afloat until she comes back.”
Herzog will be demanding of his team. He wants to get the most out of them.
”I’m not going to take any of the excuses,” he said. “If you want to be the top notch player and want to do better, you have to be here. I’m a no-nonsense guy.”
The Little Tigers have a largely new-look lineup after losing their first and second singles players, but expectations are still high. The season began with a 5-0 win over Allentown in which Princeton lost a total of just two games the entire match.
”Overall, we’re looking pretty strong,” Herzog said. “I always believe the litmus test is who you play. We don’t see (West Windsor-Plainsboro) South until the end of the season. We were supposed to play Hopewell and couldn’t get the courts dried off enough. We’re trying to reschedule them before MCTs”
The Mercer County Tournament always serves as a tough test for area teams. This year, it will be Apr. 21 and 23 at Mercer County Park.
”The hardest match of the season in the first part is probably going to be this Wednesday with Robbinsville,” Herzog said. He was right. The Little Tigers edged Robbinsville, 3-2.
Princeton graduated its top singles player, Michael Feeney, and second-singles player Brock DeHaven moved out of state.
”We have a decent amount back,” Herzog said. “Rishab Tanga, who was third singles last year, he beat out everyone. He’s clearly at the top. No. 2 is a guy who was in the doubles mix and then was third singles, Tyler Hack. Adib (Zaidi) is back, and he’s at third singles.”
Princeton’s only two seniors in the lineup are paired at first doubles. Zach Hojeibaine and Zack Kleiman are expected to make a strong team, though they are being pushed by the second doubles team of Andrew Wei and Lucas Mitchell.
”Lucas Mitchell has worked really hard,” Herzog said. “He is the No. 4 singles. He had a real close match with Adib. He’s definitely gotten stronger. He’s a lot stronger with the net. I’m looking for him to make some waves. He was a little more tentative last year. He’s a better singles player, but I’m hoping with positive reinforcement, it’ll come out. I just have to figure out who the real best matches are in the four.”
Against Robbinsville, PHS needed wins from Tanga at first singles and its doubles teams swept to earn the team victory. Herzog is confident that he can do his part to help keep the Little Tigers going strong. This isn’t his first head coaching job. He’s coached boys ice hockey and is the head coach of the PHS girls ice hockey team. He’s also been assistant for the PHS girls tennis program for Hibbert.
”One of my strengths is getting in the heads of kids and trying to get the best out of them,” he said. “I do come with a little more of an aggressive streak with some of the sports I’ve coached with coaching boys ice hockey and girls ice hockey.
”There’s not as much of a difference between girls and boys tennis. Princeton High tennis has a high standard.”
Herzog has been there to help steer the varsity players, and he has overseen the junior varsity that has produced several varsity players. After coaching the last six years, he comes into this job with plenty of experience against area and sectional competition. Last year, PHS finished second in Central Jersey Group III in a 16-2 season.
”I know what the deal is,” Herzog said. “I know what to expect. I know who we’ll have some strong/close matches with and who should be a blowout. That’s one of the things I want the guys to focus on is playing consistently. The hardest thing is having the weakest part of our schedule going into MCTs.
”I want to play the strongest teams. The weather just hasn’t cooperated with us. I want our guys to see a little higher end competition to feel a little higher level of stress instead of seeing it first on the grand stage at counties.”
Princeton is scheduled to play Hamilton West today. The tougher tests are ahead, particularly with the county tournament, where they finished fourth last year.
”I’m hopeful with my guys,” Herzog said. “We have a majority of my guys returning. We still have a fairly young team. We only have two seniors who are my first doubles.”