By: Sean Moylan
Even with its recent success, the Florence Township Memorial High School coed varsity tennis team was still flying under the radar where the big Indian schools were concerned.
That all changed in last Thursday’s BCT Open as Florence athletes beat tennis players from Lenape and Cherokee to become the surprise of the tournament.
Early in the season, Florence head coach Ovi Dragos sat Scott Rein out one match to give Tom Allen some playing time at second doubles with Eric Centofanti. Ever since then, Rein has been back in the lineup and playing some of the best tennis of his life.
On Thursday, he and Centofanti clobbered a team from Cherokee, 10-4, in the opening round and then topped Northern Burlington’s talented duo of Brandon D’Amato and David Tong 6-1, 6-1 to reach the semi-finals. In the semis, Moorestown beat Rein and Centofanti 6-1, 6-3. Yet to win four games against Moorestown teams this year is a big accomplishment.
"Scott (Rein) and Eric (Centofanti) played very well," said Florence Coach Ovi Dragos.
Florence’s first doubles pair of Joe Molimock and Stuart Lopez were just as successful if not more. The Florence tandem shut out Pemberton, 10-0, in the opening round. Then they posted a brilliant 5-7, 6-3, (10-7) decision over Cherokee. The last set was a super tie-breaker.
Molimock and Lopez’ run ended in the semis where a duo from Lenape won an intense 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) decision.
"Our kids (Molimock and Lopez) played unbelievable. Our kids were up 5-4 in the second set," said Dragos.
Florence’s most successful singles player of the day was Daniel Senni (second singles), who also reached the semis before falling to an opponent from Moorestown.
Senni beat Cherokee’s Corner 10-1 in the opening round and then he won a 2-6, 6-2 (10-7) come-from-behind decision against Lenape’s Goldberger in the quarterfinals.
Dragos was pleased with the way Senni gave it his all to win that one.
At first singles NBC’s Jaren Anacan beat Florence’s Luis Gutierez, 10-6.
"Jaren (Anacan) played very nicely," said Dragos, who would have preferred if Gutierez had approached the match with a slightly different strategy, but coaching was not permitted during the tournament.
Florence’s third singles star Jon Hand missed the match. Dragos felt he couldn’t have gone far in the tournament had he not had a previous obligation.
Last Wednesday, Florence beat a pretty good Holy Cross team, 4-1, at Delran. Gutierez blanked his first singles opponent with no trouble.
And in second singles, Senni topped Jeff Luebeke 6-2, 6-1. As usual Molimock and Lopez played great while winning a 6-1, 6-2 decision against Tim McAneny and Brian Beink (first doubles). Rein and Centofanti topped Mike Edmonds and Francis Garcia 6-1, 7-5 at second doubles.
Florence’s only loss came at third singles where Holy Cross’ Mike Yung beat Andrew Munger, who was filling in for Hand.
The Flashes (6-2) were scheduled at Palmyra yesterday (Wednesday). On Friday they are scheduled to host Cinnaminson. On Monday Florence is scheduled at Burlington Township. Then on Tuesday it is scheduled to host Haddon Heights.
NBC
When it comes right down to it, tennis is a game of match-ups.
In last Thursday’s BCT Open the Northern Burlington County Regional High School boys’ varsity tennis team did not get the first-round draws it would have liked inmost cases. Yet, the Greyhounds made the most out of their matches and gained some more fans along the way.
At first single, NBC’s Jaren Anacan posted an impressive 10-6 win over Florence3’s Luis Gutierez in the opening round. Unfortunately, Lenape’s Nick Georgedes beat Anacan 7-5, 7-5 in a tough, tough quarterfinals match.
NBC’s Brandon D’Amato and David Tong defeated Moorestown Friends’ Sanjay Bhatt and Teddy Krieder 10-5 before falling to Florence’s Scott Rein and Eric Centofanti in the second doubles’ quarterfinal round.
At second singles, NBC’s David Isenmen lost a heated 10-8 battle to Lenape’s Jordan Goldberger in the opening round.
"He (Isenmen) played well. He was up 8-7 at one time," noted Young.
Seneca’s Greg Davies beat NBC’s Ryan Quinn 10-4 at third singles. Young felt Quinn deserved a better draw, though.
Delran’s powerful first doubles team of Mike Broadbent and Andrew Smyth won a 10-4 decision against NBC’s Hassan Chaudhry and Doug Zytko, who have been playing so well.
Last Wednesday, Moorestown beat NBC 5-0 at Northern. Isenmen played a great match against Moorestown’s James Sparacio, the eventual 6-4, 6-1 winner at second singles.
Moorestown’s Ed Bearlerain and Joe Procacci also had a tough time with NBC’s D’Amato and Tong (seconds) as they only won 6-1, 6-4.
Aneesh Gupta’s 6-0, 6-0 win over Quinn, at third singles was Moorestown’s only shutout of the day.
"We actually played very well," said Young, who never asks for anything more than improvement from his kids.
At 8-3, NBC is in the playoffs.
NBC was scheduled at Rancocas Valley yesterday (Wednesday). It is scheduled at Burlington City today (Thursday). It is scheduled to host Palmyra on Monday.
