The boys tennis team started its 2011 season with a spark, immediately showing its domination in Montgomery County by routing Seneca Valley, Gaithersburg, Northwest, Richard Montgomery and Quince Orchard in its first five matches of the season.

Led by freshman William Szamosszegi, who, at the number 1 singles position dominated his opponent, the boys beat Quince Orchard April 1 to clench their fifth straight win of the season. With the exception of one competitor, each of the boys swept his opponent 6-0 in the Seneca Valley, Northwest and Richard Montgomery matches. In their match against Gaithersburg, the Bulldogs dominated completely, each of them taking home a win. The solid play bolsters the team’s hopes of a great season, which were very high to begin with.

“One of our strengths is belief,” junior Sebastian Zamorano said. “We believe in each other to do well and that respect makes a championship team.”

The Bulldogs’ solid performance has come from a variety of players, ranging from seasoned upperclassmen to some of the younger players, who make up a great deal of the team. With 14 of 20 players either freshmen or sophomores, the young Bulldogs are looking to veteran senior captains Nick Bakos and Kevin Chu for leadership.

 Zamorano, a newcomer to the team, is expected to add an extra spark. Bakos, who intends to play Division III tennis in college, believes the Bulldogs’ first matches were just the beginning of a season full of development and good play. However, the team’s youth could be a slight challenge in their quest to win counties.

“We volleyed well and served well, and we worked very well together on doubles,” Bakos said. “We are generally all good teammates but we just need to work on maturing more as a team.”

Under the tutelage of head coach Benjamin Woods, the team has developed over the past few years into a formidable contender in Montgomery County. Despite their youth, the Bulldogs expect to have a good run at counties, very much thanks to Woods, who focuses on the core concepts.

“He’s really good and focuses on stuff that most coaches wouldn’t, like sportsmanship, respect, conditioning and stretching,” Zamorano said.

The Bulldogs faced off against Walter Johnson April 5 and Whitman April 7.