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05/08/2016 12:00 AMEast Haven’s boys’ and girls’ tennis squads received some bad news prior to the start of this season, when Athletic Director Anthony Verderame notified their coaches that the six tennis courts at the high school were deemed unplayable.
As a result, the boys’ team played its first nine contests on the road before finally hosting its first home match at Silver Sands Beach Club on the other side of town. The Yellowjackets were victorious in that match by defeating Foran 5-2 on May 2.
“A week before the season began, the AD informed us the courts were going to be unplayable,” said Head Coach Rob Manghnani. “We were on the road for our first nine games of the year, so it’s definitely difficult not having our own home court at the high school...Something happened, but the courts are pretty shaky. We’ve been told we’ll have six new courts next year, but we’ll wait and see. Verderame assured us it’s happening, so we’re waiting for those six new courts at East Haven High School.”
The Yellowjackets’ boys have practiced at the middle school throughout the season, but there are only three full-sized courts there. With 19 athletes on his team, Coach Manghnani has found it challenging to get everyone they time they need on the courts at practice.
“It makes practice very difficult having 19 guys having guys trying to get better,” he said. “We have a lot of guys coming to play. We’re young and only losing three next year, so we’ll have about the same number of guys. Hopefully, we have the new courts or else it will be troublesome again.”
East Haven’s 5-2 win over Foran at Sliver Sands improved the club’s record to 3-7 this season. It was a nice redemption victory for the Yellowjackets, who had lost to Foran 5-2 on April 11. After his team’s tough stretch of matches against Guilford, Fairfield Prep, Amity, and Hand, Manghnani was proud of the Yellowjackets’ response against a more comparable opponent.
“We had a brutal stretch like we always do and finally had a 50-50 match and we came away with the win,” he said. “The guys played hard, so I was happy to see us turn the tables a little bit.”
In the match, wins for East Haven came at the No. 2, 3, and 4 singles positions, as well as first and third doubles spots. Rob Proto won 6-4, 6-4 at 2 singles; Zack Zito prevailed 6-2, 6-3 at No. 3; and No. 4 player Brendan So was victorious by a 6-4, 6-7, 6-3 score.
“Rob was able to pull it together. It was a good match that he controlled the whole way. It was good to see him turn the tide a little bit. For Zack, he played a kid who beat him last time out and won in straight sets. He’s been the most-consistent guy this year. He’s smart as he’s playing and could take the kid’s speed and was able to control that match,” Manghnani said. “Brendan started the match at 3:45 and didn’t finish until 6. He was battling. He’s a kid who is young and usually is very competitive. He needs to work on stamina to win more, but I was proud of how be bounced back and won the third set since we’ll rely on him a lot next year.”
Tony Cofrancesco took East Haven’s lone singles loss, 6-4, 6-3, in the No. 1 spot.
“Tony was playing a 50-50 game, but he doesn’t have a lot of experience and doesn’t know how to put kids away. He was up 4-1 in the first set and lost 6-4. From there, he shot himself in the foot a little bit,” Manghnani said. “It was a competitive match, but he’s getting to process where he needs to learn how to win. It’s difficult when we’re playing experience teams that have No. 1s that have been playing their whole lives. For him to play an opponent he can beat, it’s difficult to lose.”
In doubles, the top group of Jake Zito and Spencer Goldberg won 6-4, 6-3, while the third pairing of Seth Proto and Dave Popolizio claimed a 6-1, 6-1 victory. The second doubles team of Doug Comesanas and Rob Scalesse took a 4-6, 6-4, 10-4 defeat.
“Doubles 1 played their best match of the year. They were firing on all cylinders,” Manghnani said. “Doubles 3 has been rolling. Seth and Dave are a good mix, so we rely on those guys to win and they prevailed against Foran.”
Despite all the reshuffling, Coach Manghnani said it was nice to play a match in East Haven for the first time this season, especially considering that the Silver Sands Beach Club recently resurfaced its courts. With six matches left and his team needing five wins to make the State Tournament as a group, Manghnani knows that his team’s goals are still within striking distance.
“It’s going to be difficult, but it’s not out of question. I’m encouraged by the prospects of us to make the SCC Tournament this year. We have a good shot to not only make the SCCs and potentially states, but maybe get past the first round this year,” he said. “We’re getting better. I could see this similar to run we made a few years ago, when we made the SCC final. I’m encouraged we’ll be able to get on a roll late in the year.”
From the Sidelines
The team captains for Yellowjackets’ boys tennis this year are seniors Rob Proto and Zack Zito, along with junior Tony Cofrancesco.
East Haven’s three wins have come against Law (5-2), Lyman Hall (5-2), and Foran (5-2).
The remaining matches for the Easties are against Shelton, West Haven, Lyman Hall, North Haven, Wilbur Cross, and Career.