Highlands tops Ramapo

BOYS TENNIS

Since there was no room in Friday's paper and since it apparently hasn't shown up on northjersey.com, here is the story I wrote on Northern Highlands upsetting Ramapo on Thursday. I also included a little on Englewood's upset of Tenafly.

Keep in mind these are unedited, so forgive me if they aren't up to The Record standards.

FRANKLIN

LAKES

– Northern Highlands finally solved Ramapo.

After losing twice to the Green Raiders by scores of 3-2, the Highlanders saved their breakthrough win for the biggest stage – the State tournament.

Juniors Jake Walpert and Alex Chin defeated Xander Porter and Louis Fusilli, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, at second doubles as fourth-seeded

Highlands

defeated top-seeded Ramapo, 3-2, in the North 1, Group 3 semifinals Thursday. Walpert and Chin weren’t paired for the first meeting between the NBIL schools, but lost in three sets to Porter and Fusilli in the second match.

“We were kind of scared,” Chin said of the match going into a third set. “But we were saying ‘We have to get this.’ ”

“It feels good,” said Walpert. “Both times we played them it’s been close. We really wanted to beat them.”

The win was the first for the Highlanders during coach Chris Broking’s four years. Luke Granger and Justin Gerstl swept their matches against Ramapo at first and second singles and both were more than happy to see their efforts meant something this time.

“It’s been so many times we get in this situation,” Granger said. “It’s 2-2 [coming down to doubles] and it’s the first time we won [against Ramapo] since I’ve been here. I don’t even know what to say.”

“The biggest difference is we learned a valuable lesson in how to finish points and games at critical times,” said Broking. “We were able to stay focused and not get caught up in the moment in exciting and stressful conditions.”

Christian Carcione of Ramapo actually had a set point against Granger at first singles. But Granger rallied to take the set and the match, 7-5, 6-2.

Gerstl also had to come back at second singles. Ramapo’s Taylor Hallman led 5-2 in the second set before the junior Gerstl got it to a tiebreaker and won, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5).

“We won the match where it matters most,” said Granger, who admitted he was more nervous watching second doubles than playing his own match. “The State is better than the league every time.”

The Highlanders will face second-seeded

Fair Lawn

, the defending champ, in the final at Old Tappan on Monday. The Cutters defeated

Highlands

twice this season, but if Thursday’s match is any indication, they have a reason to be concerned.

“We’re very confident,” Broking said. “The fact that we did it on their court made it even more satisfying, because it was that much harder to do.”

North 1, Group 2

ENGLEWOOD 3, TENAFLY 2 (at Tenafly): Highlands wasn’t the only team who got revenge as the third-seeded Maroon Raiders defeated the second-seeded and four-time defending State champion Tigers. Tenafly won both league matches, 3-2, but Greg Klose won a three-set match at first singles that was the difference.

Klose rallied after losing the first set and won a tiebreaker to force a third set. He defeated Alex Topchishvili, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4.

“I just told him, ‘Keep moving your feet,’ ”

Englewood

coach Dave Smith said of Klose, who had previously lost twice to Tenafly.

Peter Lee also won a three-set match for the Maroon Raiders, defeating Jason Lieberman 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. Smith said he pulled a Vince Lombardi on Lee.

“I said, ‘You better start playing right now’ because he was losing,” said Smith. “It came down to the wire.”

Though

Englewood

hasn’t beaten Tenafly in at least the last 10 years in the BCSL American, Smith said he’d rather have the State win.

“To beat Tenafly is unbelievable,” said Smith. “They’re legendary.”