Marlboro tennis team is among the state’s elite Mustangs earn shot at Shore Conference Tournament title

Marlboro tennis team is among the state’s elite
Mustangs earn shot at Shore Conference Tournament title

VERONICA YANKOWSKI Marlboro’s Andrew Sharnov competes at second singles during Friday’s Shore Conference Tournament semifinal against Ocean at Holmdel High School.

Just how good is the Marlboro High School boys’ tennis team? Good enough that their No. 2 singles player from last year is now a substitute, and the No. 1 doubles team is now playing second doubles thanks to an influx of freshman talent that has everything coming up aces for Dave Kretzmer’s Mustangs.

Marlboro, 12-1, has finally cracked the top 20 in the state (No. 13) and has seized control of the Shore Conference A North Division where they are the defending champions. The Mustangs are doing all this with a veteran team that still has just one senior, Shaun Goodman, who plays first singles, in the starting lineup.

"We’re having a really nice year," said Kretzmer. "Everybody has improved. I’m very pleased with the way they have performed.

"It’s been very exciting," he added. "Everyone gets along well with each other. There’s a lot of team unity."

VERONICA YANKOWSKI Marlboro’s Shaun Goodman returns a shot during the first singles match of Friday’s Shore Conference Tournament semifinal against Ocean at Holmdel High School.

There’s also a lot of depth on the 2002 Mustangs. Their singles lineup of Goodman, Andrew Sharnov and Alex Fleyshmakher has proven its ability to carry a team, as has the first and second doubles tandems. Evan Harris and Paul Jones, who played first doubles last year, are now at second and undefeated. So deep is Marlboro here that Kretzmer has the luxury of fielding three or four different teams while getting quality from each combination.

Todd Zuccarino played second singles for Marlboro last spring but is now a substitute. That’s how strong Marlboro’s singles lineup is. Zuccarino has been very valuable filling in when needed either at singles or doubles, and getting wins for the Mustangs

Goodman, the only senior on this very talented squad, is one of the Shore’s best. He hits the ball hard from the forehand and backhand side, and can get easy points when his first serve is on.

"Shaun has an all-around game," said Kretzmer. "He does whatever he needs to win. He’s got all the shots. He likes to win from the baseline, but he’ll go to the net to put a point away."

Sharnov has been the big addition for the Mustangs. The freshman plays with poise and smarts that belie his age.

"He will be a special player," noted Kretzmer. "He’s a seasoned player and he knows how to finish a point off."

Sharnov is a tenacious competitor who, much like Goodman, has the complete game that allows him to out rally the groundstrokers and out hit the big hitters.

Fleyshmakher has been solid again at third singles.

"He has a big forehand and serve," Kretzmer remarked. "He gets you on the move and puts you away."

Marlboro’s doubles received a boost from freshman Landon Goodman, Shaun’s younger brother, and junior Jason Schwartz, who was only the team’s eighth man a year ago, coming on strong and winning the first doubles slot. They’re 11-2 in that spot while Harris and Jones are 12-0.

Marlboro’s only loss was to the Shore’s top-ranked team, Holmdel, 4-1.

Friday, the Mustangs knocked off the No. 2 team in the Shore, Ocean Township, 4-1, in the semifinals of the Shore Conference Tournament. Sharnov and Fleyshmakher scored straight set wins, as did the doubles tandems of Goodman and Schwartz and Harris and Jones, who remained perfect on the season.

The Mustangs were scheduled to play Holmdel for the SCT title Monday.

With last week’s 4-0 win over Freehold Township, the Mustangs improved to 7-0 in the A North Division.

Still looming on the horizon is Manalapan. Marlboro beat Manalapan in a closely fought 4-1 win earlier in the season. Goodman was taken to three sets by the Braves’ Jared Finkelstein before winning 6-4, 1-6, 6-4, and Schwartz and Goodman also went to three sets before getting by the Manalapan tandem of Matt Siber and Jeff Martin, 6-7, 6-2, 6-3. The Braves’ lone point was a three-set win by Bryan Goldstein over Fleyshmakher, 4-6, 6-2, 6-0.

That defeat remains Manalapan’s lone loss in the division. With one more match with the Mustangs (they were scheduled to play in Manalapan Thursday, but it was postponed to a later date because of rain) the Braves will be looking to even the score and perhaps get a share of the A North title.

The Freehold Regional District is loaded this year with Manalapan and Freehold Township ranked in the top 10 in the Shore. If not for Marlboro, they would be the toast of the area. Both reached the Shore Conference Tournament quarterfinal before falling to higher seeds, Manalapan to No. 4 Rumson and Freehold Township to No. 1 Holmdel.

The Braves are 8-2 and outside of their losses to Marlboro and Holmdel, and have dominated their opponents.

Finkelstein, Andrew Kramer and Goldstein are a steady singles trio. Siber and Martin, and Varun Agarwal and Ryan Krant have given the Braves good play at doubles.

Freehold Township has relied on its veteran singles lineup of Ryan Beck, Andrew Impastato and Mike Sarilli. Mike DeVito and Mike DaSilva are the first doubles duo, and Shyamal Joshi and David Segall have been playing second doubles.

The Pats are 7-5 with losses to Marlboro (twice), Manalapan and Holmdel.

Colts Neck has been having a fine season as well. The Cougars scored their first-ever SCT win, 3-2, over Monsignor Donovan. Ryan Freeman, Gerardo Miguel and Doug Appel make up the singles lineup. Freeman and Miguel won their first and second single matches respectively, and the first doubles team of Adam Levine and Tony Bisignano provided the clinching point over Mon Don. Chris Vieria and Jeremy Ahn play second doubles for the Cougars, who are 6-3 and in good position to make a run at the state playoffs.

Freehold Borough’s Henry Wong has been having an outstanding year at first singles and he has the Colonials (4-5) in the running for a state playoff berth. With wins over Finkelstein and Freeman, he has proven he is one of the area’s best players. Borough does own a 3-2 win over Colts Neck.