When you have nine of your top ten players returning from a 23-3 team it would seem that your lineup should be fairly set but the combination of inclement weather and heated competition has made the preseason anything but sedate for veteran Westfield Tennis Coach George Kapner.
“This has easily been the most competitive year in terms of challenge matches in my entire career,” said Kapner.
The strong internal competition is indicative of the depth that developed early last season when first singles player Kevin Shallcross was lost for most of the rest of the year with a leg injury.
With Shallcross out, each singles player moved up one slot but the Blue Devils hardly missed a beat as they easily swept through the Watchung Conference and were dominant in winning their second straight Union County championship. The team scored 96 out of 100 points to 72 for second place Summit to win their 26th championship overall as they won four of the five flights.
“Initially, I assumed that no team could recover from the loss of its best player, but we never missed a beat.” noted Kapner.
.Second singles Ravi Netravali took over Shallcross’ spot and upset the defending champion Kevin Chen of New Providence in the semi finals before losing in the finals to Ryan Krueger of Scotch Plains.
Shallcross recovered from his injury to finish strong and defeated Krueger in the state tournament before losing in the third round. Shallcross won several competitive challenge matches and emerges again as Westfield’s top player.
“Kevin is mentally tougher, he is more experienced, and that experience has been achieved against higher competition than he had been used to before due to the fact that he is now playing and highly ranked in the 18's rather than the 16's,” said Kapner.
Netravali currently would once again play second singles although that is not finalized.
“The actual line-up has yet to be determined, but Ravi is definitely more confident than he was last year and is in better condition and also playing at a higher level than he was last year,” added Kapner.
Sophomore James Chou, who won the second singles county title last year before missing the late portion of the season with an injury, is one of several candidates to lay third singles.
“James lost a challenge match early in the process but has come roaring back into consideration with some excellent results. He is two or three wins away from regaining his singles spot from last year. He, too, is more fit and mentally stronger than last year.”
said Kapner.
Pushing Chou will be junior Akis Evangelidis, sophomores Greg Luppescu and Dean Thompson and freshman Justin Snyder.
Usually a doubles player, Thompson moved up to win the county title at third singles.
Whoever does not make it to singles from that group s in the running for doubles along with seniors Jon Ramalho and Jack Trimble, juniors Melvin Diep, Evan Eisenberg, Matt Gralla and Jared Greene and freshman Graeme Stahl.
Eisenberg and Gralla rolled to the second doubles title last year while Trimble teamed with the graduated Lee Bernstein to win on first doubles. With so much equal talent, Kapner will have an embarrassment of riches in picking his doubles teams but not necessarily a pleasant task for the veteran coach.
“Depth is a both a gift and a curse. At this time of year, it is very difficult to watch challenge matches. At the end of the match, one of your athletes is exuberant and the other despondent. Once the season begins, however, knowing that an almost equally skilled player is ready to take your place should push the starters to maintain their focus every day,” said Kapner.
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