The Northview boys won the state championship last spring with a roster loaded with seven seniors. This season the Titans are competing in a different region with a much younger team and are holding their own against some stiff competition.
“You look at our region now (Region 6) and Cambridge is there – they were the state runner-up to Johns Creek (in Class 6A) last year -- and Centennial – they made it to the Final Four – and Chattahoochee. That’s a tough region,” Northview coach Mike Dixon said.
Northview won the Class 5A title last year by beating fellow Region 5 rival St. Pius 3-0. But No. 1 singles player and team captain Eshaan Dani graduated and is now playing at Emory and the No. 1 doubles team of Paul Philip and Bryan Hu also graduated.
The new No. 1 singles player is Nikhil Thinesh, moved up from No. 2 singles, and is getting accustomed to playing against better competition. Jonathan Chen, who started on the No. 2 doubles team last year, is at No. 2 singles. Devesh Venekateswaran starts at No. 3 singles.
The No. 1 doubles team is Grant Peng and Romir Das. The No. 2 doubles team is Siddharth Vendula and Nishanth Govindu.
“It’s definitely been a rebuilding experience,” Dixon said. “It’s great playing those good quality team and it’s going to help the younger guys down the road. I’ve asked my three varsity returners from last year to really take a leadership role and an active role. It’s definitely been kind of new for them.”
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