In trying to be its best, the Montclair High girls tennis team plays the best. The Mounties, however, should probably wait until later in the season from now on.
For the second straight year, MHS (4-5) faced one of the toughest out-of-league schedules in New Jersey during the first three weeks of its season. Montclair squared off with Bernards, Westfield and The Montclair Kimberley Academy, none of which are Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League foes, losing each match.
Saturday’s 5-0 loss in the Essex County Tournament to Millburn, the No. 1 team in New Jersey when The Star-Ledger releases its first statewide poll tomorrow, added to the brutality during the first third of Montclair’s season. Couple the aforementioned factors with girls tennis having the earliest cutoff date (tomorrow) of the NJSIAA’s autumn State tournaments, and Montclair will likely not earn a trip to the dance.
Teams must be at .500 or above to qualify, and following their 5-0 loss to MKA this past Tuesday, the locals have two matches remaining before the cutoff. They would have to beat Millburn today (yes, another non-league, regular-season whopper) and Bloomfield tomorrow for a spot.
With a similar schedule last year, MHS stood at 5-6 at the cutoff and didn’t qualify. It went on to win 18 of 19 matches to finish the season at 23-7, trading lumps early for wins later.
"On one hand it’s good competition, so it makes you stronger, but it’s a rough way to start with the State cutoff so early," Montclair coach Dawn DeMayo said Tuesday. "Hopefully our upswing will start Thursday against Millburn and continue from there."
Three seniors, all of whom are starters, captain the Mounties. Becky Newman starts at second singles, moving up a spot in the single ranks from last year. Hannah Furrey is at first doubles after playing in the singles rotation in 2007.
"With some of the younger talent coming up, Hannah can help us more at doubles this year," said DeMayo. "She has adjusted well to doubles, and I give her a lot of credit for shifting to help the team."
The third captain is Kathryn Gorman, at second doubles for the second consecutive year. DeMayo said Gorman "has a great game really geared toward the doubles style of play."
Junior Sofie Rasmussen starts at first singles after being a doubles player last season. Sophomore Alison McClearn gained varsity experience last year in a doubles role and is now at third singles.
"Sofie is having a tough year, and with our schedule, she’s playing some of the best girls in the state," DeMayo said. "But she doesn’t get down on herself; it’s a learning experience that will only help her going forward."
At first doubles, sophomore Sophie Trilling starts alongside Furrey. Sophomore Lucy Ferguson doubles up with Gorman in the second spot.
"We have four underclassmen starting, and their experience this year will be great for next year," said DeMayo. "I hope we have another nice run in us toward a great final record like the girls went on last season. The harder matches are definitely behind us."
COUGARS CLAW MOUNTIES
MKA moved to 6-4 following its win over the Mounties. Senior Melissa Wong trumped Rasmussen at first singles, 6-1, 7-6 (7-1). Junior Laura Polding beat Newman easily, 6-0, 6-0, at second doubles, and sophomore Alisha Bhatia toppled McClearn, 6-1, 6-1.
The Cougars also dominated each doubles match, as sophomore Adriana Calandra and freshman Lauren Martin took down Furrey and Trilling, 6-1, 6-1. The duo of senior Supriya Prakash and junior Sarah Moses capped the match for MKA with a 6-1, 6-4 victory at second doubles.
The Cougars faced Cedar Grove yesterday and will meet Glen Ridge today. MKA beat both squads to start the season, so it’s likely to be seeded for the State tournament backed by an 8-4 record.
