SPORTS
Present and Future
North Farmington's veteran tennis team is one of the
state's best; young Berkley may one day get there, too
Jason Weiss serves.
MIKE ROSENBAUM
Sports Writer
orth Farmington High
placed 13th in the state
in boy's tennis last
year. Since the Raiders
lost only two doubles
players from that squad, it's not sur-
prising that they are unbeaten and
ranked ninth in the state this season.
Berkley also boasted a strong
team last season, but they returned
only one player from that squad. So
their winning record this season was
not expected.
North Farmington coach
Marianne Ring was surprised with
the early success of her senior-
dominated, mostly-Jewish team. "I
did think I would be just as strong as
last year," she says, "except last year
we lost to West Bloomfield and (Bir-
mingham) Groves and this year we
played them in our first two matches
of the season and we beat them both.
So I really was surprised about that."
Berkley coach Ed Nagel, who
fields mostly freshmen and
sophomores, says flatly, "the team's
playing much better than I expected?'
The Raiders entered this week at
13-0 overall, 10-0 in the Western
Lakes League. They won the league
dual-meet title and will play in the
state regional today. Ring says her
pre-season goal was a top 10 finish in
the state. "I figured we'd be, probably,
at the bottom of the top 10 and that's
what I'm hoping for."
While North Farmington's names
have changed little in the past year,
there was a switch in the lineup this
season. Last year's number one and
two singles players, Jay Graff and
Josh Hoffman, changed places when
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Hoffman beat Graff several times in
pre-season practice. "It really was a
surprise to have (Hoffman) play
number one this year," says Ring.
Hoffman, 9-2 through May 13,
says his main improvement has oc-
cured "mentally . . . Through the last
year I think I've grown a little men-
tally. I've got a little more control of
the game. Seventy-five percent of the
tennis game is mental. If you can con-
trol yourself out there, most of the
time you're going to win:'
The senior describes the mental
part of the game as "being able to just
control yourself during the points.
Take time between the points and
play out each point. Anybody can get
out there and hit the ball, but con-
trolling yourself and knowing what to
do with it is something else?'
Graff, also a senior, was not only
unbeaten in his first 12 dual meets,
but he had not lost a set. "Jay Graff
at number two should not lose a
match," says Ring. "He should do
very, very well in the state tourna-
ment. I'm sure he'll get to the finals
at regionals."
At number two, admits Graff, "the
competition isn't the same, so I don't
really get pumped up the same as last
year. I'm not expecting a really tough
match?'
Senior Jason Weiss, co-captain
along with Graff, was 10-2 at number
three singles. He takes his leadership
role seriously. "You have to give ad-
vice to a lot of the younger kids. Even
if you're not necessarily the best
player on the team, a lot of kids look
to you for leadership. Like, 'what do
you think, or (you) give advice during
matches!'
Hoffman describes himself as an
all-court player. "You're in a ground-
stroke game and you get the man on
the defensive, that's when you come
in and that's what I work for during
the point?'
Graff stays at the baseline longer
than Hoffman, relying on his stinging
forehand and two-handed backhand
shots, both of which he generally hits
with heavy topspin. "I work my way
in," he explains. "I still hit pretty
hard. I'm not just staying at the
baseline and just getting it back. I
still hit out."
Weiss tries to combine his
physical and mental skills. "I play a
pretty consistent game and then
when the guy starts to fall asleep I try
to put him away real fast. That's how
I like to play. I like to get in long mat-
ches and I like to try to out-think my
opponent."
Junior Joe Howitt is the
youngster among the singles players.
He posted a 9-2 mark through last
week. The top doubles team of Brian
Siefman and Alex Steinbach, both
seniors, were 5-5. Senior Jason
Greenberg and junior Matt Berman
freshman Dan Rothenberg (9-4) at
number three.
Konop surprised himself when he
earned the top spot. He won five of his
first six matches, then slumped, but
says he has regained his early-season
touch. "I wasn't really ready this
season. I didn't know that we'd be
playing so much. I went through a
period of a couple weeks when I just
didn't want to play and I lost some
matches I maybe should've won. But
now I want to play again?'
Konop says he will pace himself
better next season, and will take
some time off before the season to
avoid burnout.
An all-court player, Konop, a lef-
ty, adjusts his game, depending on
how his opponent plays. His best shot
is his backhand. "My forehand I
sometimes can hit some better shots
(with), but I also miss a lot more of
`em. I think I'm volleying pretty well,
too. So if I can just work on my
forehand's consistency and if I get a
little bigger, more size, I'll have more
leverage on the serve."
Rubenstein is a serve-and-volley
player with a strong topspin forehand.
"I like to come to the net and attack,"
says the left-hander. "I've got to work
on my volleys a little bit."
Rothenberg is a classic baseliner
Jay Graff eyes the ball.
were 4-7 at number two. The only non-
Jewish regulars are the number three
doubles team of junior Tim McMinn
and senior Brian Lance, who were
11-1.
Weiss believes the team is capable
of a high finish at the state meet if
they are consistent. "One day we have
two kids playing really good and a kid
playing really bad. If we can all play
really good up at states I think we can
do very well. We have a lot of talent
on this team and I don't think it's
unreasonable at all to finish in the
top 10, possibly as high as five or six."
Berkley, says Nagel, is led by
"three exceptional singles players."
The three, all Jewish, are freshman
Dave Konop (5-6 through May 9) at
number one, sophomore Ron Rubens-
tein (9-4) at number two and Josh Hoffman drills a forehand.