Tennis counted out for Counties

Blair's netmen blazed this season, boasting a 10-2 overall record. But the team's fire was almost extinguished in the 2002 Counties where only one of the pairs made it to the finals.

But according to Coach David Ngbea, the Blazers' performance in the Counties does not do justice to the team's 10-2 season record.

Senior co-captain Rahul Satija blames the team's losses partially on an unlucky lineup. "Personally, I'm annoyed at the draw," he said. "Me and Michael [Price] played well enough over the course of year [to be seeded higher in Counties]."

Nevertheless, a number of players, including co-captain James Phillips, the number three singles player, made the semifinals, picking up the slack for their teammates. In addition, the number two and three doubles players made the semis, as they combined solid ground strokes with sharply cut volleys.

The number two doubles duo reached one step further, moving all the way up to the finals before facing a disappointing defeat 2-6, 2-6 by their Wootton High School rivals.

Although somewhat disappointed in his team's elimination from the running, Ngbea applauded his boys for their performance at Counties, adding that their unrelenting attitudes in the tournament reflected the Blazers' overall behavior throughout the year. "They really pushed themselves in the Counties," he said. "They really keep a determined mindset which I've observed during the season and could see in the Counties."

But even confidence could not stop many players from slipping at times. Ngbea added that the boys' errors, along with faulty techniques, have plagued the team since the beginning of the season.

"I've been saying this all year, but I'm going to say it again: most of the points we're losing are being lost because we're beating ourselves. We're making errors that give [opponents] the upper hand," he said. "All these [errors] added up can end up producing big losses."

Unlike many coaches at the end of a season, Ngbea is not nervous about losing top seniors. "[Price] is our number one player and he's a sophomore, so we'll have a head start going into next year," he said.

Ngbea added that he thinks next year's team could capture the division title.