Newark Academy Invitational Saw Millburn Take the Trophy

On Sunday afternoon, Millburn’s varsity boys’ tennis team overcame archrival Newark Academy in the finals of the 40th annual Newark
Academy Invitational Tennis Tournament, after having vanquished Delbarton in the quarterfinal round and Livingston in the semifinals.

Early-round play 

The Delbarton match went 5-0 to Millburn on Saturday. In the Livingston match Sunday morning, Millburn’s first and third singles, Tyler Schick and Jason Ginsburg, defeated Anthony Caputo and Spencer Luster,respectively. Miller first doubles Teddy Moskovitz and Keith Knopp beat Sam Farber and Justin Patel, and second doubles Andrew Nolff and Evan Imegwu dispatched Jesse Korovin and Matt Reuter. Second singles Dean Koman split setswith Lancer Erik Katcher, earning each player a half point. Millburn vaulted intothe finals with a 4.5 to .5 victory over Livingston.

The rivalry heats up

In the final round, the rivalry between Millburn High and Newark Academy intensified as it became clear the championship was up for grabs. Newark Academy’s first doubles and third singles won their matches in straight sets, propelling the Minutemen to a 2-0 lead. First, Ben Hyatt and Jonathan Holtzman defeated Moskovitz and Knopp, 6-1, 6-4. They were followed shortly by Dylan Flanagan, who beat Miller Jonathan Duan 6-3, 6-3.

The tide began to turn with Tyler Schick’s straight-set, 7-5, 6-2 win over Daniel Eatroff at first singles.  Newark Academy's lead was slipping away.

On the second doubles court, Millburn’s Nolff and Imegwu had recovered from a first-set 6-2 loss to Reid Schalet and Arjuna Siva to take the
second set 6-3. They were up 4-1 in the third set when Siva and Schalet drew even. Several unforced errors by the Newark Academy team, plus several clean winners from the Millers, and Millburn had the win. The score was now Millburn 2, Newark Academy 2.

Still battling on the court were Millburn’s second singles Koman and Newark Academy’s Chris Paradis. The pair had played met twice already this season, with each winning a match. In this third meeting, Paradis took the first set at 7-5, while Koman recovered to win the second set 6-2.

High drama

As the decisive third set drew to a close, the championship hanging in the balance, the players were subjected at every point to ear-splitting cheering from the several dozen spectators. At match point, a forehand from Paradis sailed long, and Koman prevailed 6-3. Millburn had won the championship by 3 courts to 2.

Millburn’s record now stands at 19-1. The next match is slated for 4 p.m. Monday against Columbia High School on Millburn’s home courts. The Millers, whose record against Newark Academy this season is 2-1, face them again in regular conference play later in the week. The first round of the NJSIAA state tournament is scheduled to begin Thursday.