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Bar raises higher for Sweet Home tennis
And with many returning starters, the goals for this season are the same, if not higher. "I think the goal is to get back to where we were last year (gold bracket final)," said Sweet Home coach Brian Koziol. "I feel Orchard Park will be one of the teams at the end of the road, but we can't look past Williamsville East. They beat us twice last year in divisional play (East won ECIC Division II title with a 12-0 record, Sweet Home was 10-2) so we still need to get by them first." But the Panthers seem ready. Koziol said many of the senior players asked him in early February when practice starts. "Hopefully, all of the hard work will come through and we can back up the good year we had last year," said Koziol. In years past, Sweet Home gained most points from its doubles teams (second doubles is 40-1 over the past two years), but Koziol believes that his doubles and singles teams, mostly comprised of seniors with varsity experience, balance the squad. Back at first and second singles are senior co-captains Ian Carr and Ryan Barton. Carr, entering his fifth year on varsity, was 11-8 at first singles last year and advanced to the final eight of the Section VI Championships, losing to eventual section champ Southwestern's Chris Post. Barton, back for his fourth year, finished 12-6 at second singles as a junior. Both are also ECIC qualifiers. Koziol said Carr has no weaknesses on the court and if he's on his game, will win. Barton, the team's MVP last year, put in a ton of off-season work at Amherst Hills Tennis Club and could probably start at first singles on most teams, he added. "I don't think there's much of a drop from Ian to Ryan," said Koziol. Koziol said Carr's biggest pluses are his ability to hit many different shots with his ground strokes and the experience of playing at first singles as a junior. Koziol said Barton has a solid serve that includes a spin on the ball that opponents have a hard time returning. Senior Sabooh Khan, who played mostly second doubles last year, bumps up to third singles. Khan, entering his third year on varsity, had the best record on the team in 2006 at 19-2. Koziol said Khan has a good backhand that is more complete than in previous years and returns every ball. "He doesn't have unbelievable power, but he keeps hitting it back so that at some point the opponent will get impatient and miss it," said Koziol. "That's how he'll win." Sophomore Tarun Kakumanu, next year's likely top singles player at Sweet Home, can play at third singles if needed. At doubles, Koziol brings back seniors Ian Collis and Matt Bordonaro. The duo went 16-5 last year and qualified for ECICs. It's the third straight year Collis is playing first doubles and the fourth year they have been on the team. Koziol said the two work well together. "Ian's the best volleyer on the team and is a little more of a fitness player," said Koziol. "Matt's got better ground strokes and power." Koziol said the duo is setting high goals. "They told me they want to go undefeated at first doubles," said Koziol. "I think they're talented enough to do it, but they have to work hard throughout the year to get it done. I like their attitude, and I'm kind of excited to see how they finish up." The second doubles spot will be rotated among seniors Dan Kaminski, Matt Sommer and Furcan Hassan. Sweet Home is 2-0 this spring, sweeping Niagara Falls and Tonawanda, 7-0.
Sweet Home played Orchard Park on Tuesday but results were unavailable before The Bee went to press. |
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