Broncos Tennis Team Set for Big Week

Despite the spring weather that hasn’t been fully participating with Broncos, they are still playing good tennis to open the 2011 season and now have a tough week of match play ahead.

A weather forecast of cold, rain and potential snow meant the cancellation of the Metamora Tournament near downstate Peoria in late March.  By not having the completion it meant the official start to the season for the Bronco’s would have to wait. But that hasn’t hurt Barrington’s transition to the regular season as they have posted wins in their first two meets of the year.

“It was disappointing to not play in the Metamora Tournament, it’s a real good tournament” Barrington’s coach John Roncone said.  “The kids love the overnight travel, they get a chance to play schools from downstate and it is a nice way to get us ready for the season.”

Barrington may have suffered a bit from the unfortunate cancellation from the season’s opening matches but their game showed no ill effects as the team managed back-to-back home wins to start the season. 

The Broncos, playing in an expanded format, had a 10-0 (four singles matches and six doubles) victory over Ottawa (Wednesday, March 30) to start home play, and then continued their strong play with a win over Downers Grove North on Monday, April 4. 

“It’s a great start and was glad to see it again today,” Roncone said following Barrington’s win over Downers Grove North.

Helping to lead Barrington was the top two singles players from the Broncos and the team’s top doubles team.

Varun Parekh was phenomenal today,” said Roncone of the sophomore who qualified for state last year.  “He took care of business today.  He was solid off the ground and dictated with his serve.”

But it wasn’t just Barrington’s number one singles player helping to set the tone for the early season, it was also their number two player chipping in, junior George Coll.

“It’s a 1a and 1b thing here,” Roncone said of the Coll, who also has qualified for state as both a freshman and sophomore.  “Both of these guys are capable of playing the other school’s top players and we are blessed to have two number ones here.”

Coll, who injured his ankle, could be battling Parekh later in the season for the number one spot.

“So far (the ankle) is so-so. I’m working on it and going to physical therapy,” Coll said of his ankle sprain that he played through during the match against Downers Grove.  “Sometimes it was tough to move side to side but things like running and jumping was fine.”

The team’s number one doubles pairing also won their match over North.  Sophomore Ben Adams and senior Ben Nuckles contributed with a match win, their second of the young season.

“They are doing great,” Roncone said of their transition as partners.  “They still have some work to do and are still getting accustomed to each other, but those are things they will work on in practice.”

Monday’s win over North only starts a big week of matches for the Broncos as they have meets against Lake Zurich (home at 4:30 p.m. on April 5), Glenbard North (Barrington beat last year and will play on April 6 at home on 4:30 p.m.), at perennial state powerhouse Deerfield (4:30 p.m. on April 6) before starting the Benet Invite on Saturday April 9.    

The Broncos will play five of their first seven matches at home and Roncone knows the importance of a fast start for the team as the will play good teams that could help dictate how the season goes.

“We like to think we will be competitive against top teams,” Roncone said of the upcoming week that sees Barrington with four meets. “This early part of the season will let us know where we are at.”