Spring Sports Previews: Cougar Boys' Tennis Players Look To Get Back to States

"We did well," Bruce Humphreys said, as he looked at the Chatham High School boys' tennis team's players scrimmaging against another last week. 

Humphreys was referring to last season. The Cougar boys went 29-3 and made it to the state finals, but their loss there has made this preseason still more important. There is nowhere to go but up.

"We do competitive drilling, match play, and [we focus on] strategy," Humphreys said. "We are in the middle of trying to establish a doubles lineup."

Some of the biggest performances this season in the singles category are expected out of brothers Patrick and Quentin Monaghan, a senior and sophomore, respectively. Patrick has "a solid ground game mixed with attack and a good serve," Humphreys said.

Quentin will make his CHS debut this season—he spent last year at Newark Academy. His addition is a welcome one: he and his brother Patrick push one another to get results.

"We play a lot," Quentin said. "My brother should have a good year. I'm just trying to play more aggressive. We should all have a good year.  I want to win states, and I think we can this year. We definitely have he talent."

This year, Patrick said he is looking for the Cougars to get better as a team. 

"I did well last year," he said. "I was all-county, all-conference and all-state at first singles."

The elder Monaghan has also made personal improvements to further his individual play.

"I changed my game," he said regarding his offseason adjustments. "I worked on my forehand and my serve over the summer and I played in a lot more tournaments."

Senior Matt Romei is another key player for the CHS tennis squad, and he is looking for a repeat state finals appearance.

"We're trying to get back to states," Romei said. "I got there as second singles, but it will be harder as third singles, and obviously, you want the team to win states.  We came close last year, but now that we have Quentin we should be able to go even further."

Personally, Romei looked to improve his intensity in the offseason.

"When I lost last year, it was probably because I wasn't aggressive enough," he said. "I'm trying to get better at approach shots and get to the net more often."

Senior Andre Coppola is looking to be paired with junior Chris Harvey for a competitive second doubles team. Junior Eric Pump and sophomore Chad Gildersleeve were second doubles alternates last season, and their leadership will help guide a big freshman class with high expectations.

Alec Webber, Ryan Lowe, Jake Hart, and Bobby Leverich are four competitive freshmen looking to make their mark early on a Cougar side that has been on the verge of dominant year in and year out.

"On [March] 29th," Coach Humphreys said, "we start with Montclair."