Millburn Tennis Clinches Conference Championship, Beats Archival

The Millburn varsity boys' tennis team ended its regular season Friday with another hard-fought victory over archrival Newark Academy. 

The Millers have prevailed over the Minutemen in three out of four meetings this season, two of them in regular conference play. Undefeated in the SEC conference, American division, Millburn retains the conference championship for 2013. It is the 26th time since 1982 that the team has won its conference. 

In Friday's action on Millburn's home courts, the Millers were playing without starting first singles Tyler Schick. Senior Co-Captain Dean Koman filled in at the top spot, while Jonathan Duan and Jonathan Atwater played second and third singles, respectively.

Duan scored the first team point for Millburn, quickly dispatching Newark Academy's Chris Paradis 6-1, 6-1.

Miller senior Co-Captain Teddy Moskovitz and his partner at first doubles, Keith Knopp, scored the second team point, dominating Newark Academy's Ben Hyatt and Jonathan Holtzman 6-2, 6-2.

The next point went to Newark Academy, when third singles Dylan Flanagan held off a second-set rally by Atwater to win 6-2, 7-5.

When Millburn's second doubles duo, Andrew Nolff and Evan Imegwu, shut out Reid Schalet and Arjuna Siva in a second-set tiebreaker, they clinched the match for the home team. Their final score was 6-2, 7-6(0).

Newark Academy notched its second and final point with senior Captain Daniel Eatroff's 6-4, 6-1 defeat of Koman.

On to the States

With the conference title securely in hand, the Millburn team can now focus on defending its 2012 section, group, and state championship titles. With its shutout of Perth Amboy in opening-round sectional play last Thursday, Millburn is scheduled to move into the second round against Watchung Hills on Tuesday, May 14.