2008 JOHNSON TENNIS OUTLOOK

The 2008 Arthur L Johnson Boys’ Tennis Team opens up their 42nd season looking to build upon last year’s third place finish in the Mountain Division of the Mountain Valley Conference, and their top half finish in the Union County Tournament. The Crusaders have qualified for the NJSIAA State Team Tournament eight consecutive seasons and have recorded six winning campaigns over the last seven years. Johnson looks to make another championship run under second year head coach CRAIG D’AMICO.

“We are very excited about this upcoming season,” said D’Amico. “We have a very special and experienced team that knows how to win. The sky is the limit for this group, as we plan on once again making a push toward the top of the Mountain Valley Conference.” In 2007, D’Amico, a former Johnson Tennis four year letterwinner, became only the third head coach in Johnson Tennis history to have a winning record in their first season at the helm. D’Amico was also honored by The Star Ledger as the Union County Coach of the Year.

The Johnson boys’ tennis program has been the most consistent boys’ team for ALJ athletics over the last eight years. The Blue and White sport a 91-54 record since the turn of the century, and at some point this year, expect to be the first Crusaders boys’ program, in any sport, to hit the 100 wins mark since the 2000 season.

Last season, the Crusaders finished with a 12-7 overall record and placed third in their division. It marked the most victories and their best conference finish since 2003. Among the other notable accomplishments from 2007: Johnson recorded a seventh place team finish in the Union County Tournament, qualified for their eighth straight NJSIAA State Team Tournament, for the first time ever had a doubles team qualify for the State Doubles Tournament, and saw every starter at least double their career win total.

This season, Johnson welcomes back nearly their entire roster. Twelve letterwinners return, including all seven varsity starters and four all-conference players. No players were lost to graduation in 2007, as for the first time in six years, Johnson played with no seniors on their varsity roster. “With everyone back, we can continue our upward trend of improvement,” said D’Amico. “Each season we’ve been getting better, and we’re looking forward to continuing that pattern this year.”

A big part of the success the Crusaders have enjoyed is due to the continued improvement and experience from their key veteran players. LUKE GINOCCHIO, MIKE KEENAN, and JAMES VILLARI are all four year players, and have been a part of 25 team victories over the previous three campaigns. The team finished 5-9 in 2005, improved to 8-7 in 2006, before going 12-7 in 2007. Ginocchio started at third singles for the second consecutive season, Keenan returned to the second singles spot, where he started as a freshmen, and Villari formed one half of Johnson’s first doubles team.

Seniors JOE BROCCOLI, RYAN COUCH, and JOHN MONAGLE return as well, and add veteran senior leadership. In all, the Blue and White feature six seniors on their roster, the most since 2003. The Crusaders also bring back talented junior CHRIS TYLUTKI who served as Johnson’s first singles player for the last two seasons. Tylutki holds 20 career victories at first singles and has twice been named an All-Conference selection. Juniors CHRIS LIM, BRIAN LUTZ, and ROB PEREZ add hard work and depth to the roster.

After recording the most wins by a freshman since Mike Monagle in 2002, ERIC GINOCCHIO leads a group of young, but experienced talent. Johnson’s sophomore class includes DAVID CZECH, CHRIS JUDD, JOE MIGNOLI, and PATRICK OZAREK. “Our roster is deep and very talented,” said D’Amico. “We have all the pieces in place to make a push as one of the elite teams in the county and the conference.”

SENIORS

No player played more tennis for the Crusaders last season than third singles player Luke Ginocchio. Ginocchio was tested in six three set matches over the course of the year. Over the last two seasons, Ginocchio has accumulated 15 career victories at third singles. Among the accolades he earned as a junior include: a 5-0 start, the best for a third singles since 2002, a seventh place finish in the Union County Tournament, and being honored as the first ever Ralph Johnson Coach’s Award Winner. “Luke had a very strong season for us last year,” D’Amico said. “Every year he keeps learning and improving. Now with three years of experience under his belt, we are expecting a monster year out of him.”

Mike Keenan started his Johnson Tennis career at second singles as a freshman, a year that was cut short due to injury. However, after spending his sophomore season in the doubles ranks, Keenan returned to the second singles spot as a junior and put together an All-Conference season. Since missing ten matches his rookie year, Keenan has started 34 consecutive matches, the second longest “Iron Man” streak in the modern Johnson Tennis era.

Last season, the first doubles team of John Monagle and James Villari became the first doubles team that the Crusaders have ever sent to the NJSIAA State Doubles Tournament. The pair started last season 5-0, placed seventh in the Union County Tournament, and were both named All-Conference performers. Monagle comes in with back to back double digit win seasons under his belt, while Villari enters 2008 with 29 career victories and was voted as last season’s team Most Valuable Player. “The season that John and James had last year might very well go down as one of the best seasons for a doubles team in Johnson Tennis history,” commented D’Amico.

Rounding out the senior class, Joe Broccoli and Ryan Couch return to the Blue and White. Broccoli is a two time letterwinner who appeared in four varsity matches last year, while Couch earned a varsity letter playing second doubles in a match against Roselle Park. Couch was a Ralph Johnson Coach’s Award winner. “Shortage of leaders will definitely not be one of our problems this year, as we will have plenty of senior leadership to go around,” proclaimed Coach D’Amico. “The seniors will define this team with their experience and leadership qualities.”

JUNIORS

Chris Tylutki will look to return to the top of Johnson’s singles ranks for the third consecutive season in 2008. As a sophomore, Tylutki won a career high 12 matches and earned a second straight All-Mountain Valley Conference Mountain Division selection.

Voted “Newcomer of the Year” by his teammates, Brian Lutz enters his second season with the Crusaders. Lutz earned a varsity letter as Johnson’s starting second doubles player last year. His season highlights included 13 victories and a seventh place county finish.

Returning to add depth to the Crusaders roster are Rob Perez and Chris Lim. Perez saw varsity action in each of the previous two years, while Lim was a large contributor to Johnson’s junior varsity program.

SOPHOMORES

Last season, the Crusaders introduced a talented group of freshmen, led by Eric Ginocchio. Ginocchio, brother of senior Luke Ginocchio, started at second doubles last season and placed seventh in the Union County Tournament. Ginocchio also recorded the most victories by a freshman in a single season since Mike Monagle in 2002.

Joe Mignoli made a late season splash into the Crusaders roster in 2007, playing at both the second and third singles varsity positions while serving as Johnson’s top JV player. Mignoli was chosen as the “Sub of the Year” in a vote by his teammates.

Rewarded for his hard work and dedication to the program, Patrick Ozarek saw action in a third singles match against Governor Livingston, earning a varsity letter as a rookie. Ozarek will once again be looked to as a key contributor for the upcoming season.

Rounding out the sophomore class, are David Czech and Chris Judd. Judd saw action as part of Johnson’s JV program last season, while Czech makes his Crusaders debut in 2008. “The best thing about freshman is that they become sophomores,” said D’Amico. “This year’s sophomores gained valuable experience early in their tennis careers last year, as freshmen, and they will only continue to get better.”

SCHEDULE

The Crusaders will once again face a challenging schedule in 2008. For the second consecutive season, Johnson opens up their season against a conference and division foe, as they travel to Cranford for a match-up with the Cougars on April 1. Nine matches on the 2008 slate will be against teams that qualified for last year’s NJSIAA State Team Tournament. Two of those teams, Westfield and Dayton, advanced to the Tournament of Champions. Johnson is scheduled to conclude their 2008 campaign with Senior Day on Tuesday, May 20 at the JTC against Union Catholic. “We are very excited about our 2008 slate,” commented D’Amico. “We will be greatly challenged through our non-conference schedule, and that will only help us when it comes time for conference play,”