Harrison head coach Brian Kolakowski remembers a time when there were people within the high school who didn’t even know the Blue Tide had a girls tennis team. It would be near impossible to tell when you look inside the gym adorned with championship banners from several different sports, but none for girls tennis.
After eight straight wins, these tennis players are set to not only change the narrative, but do things no Harrison team has ever done before.
At 8-1, the Blue Tide are set to have perhaps they’re first ever home state tournament match on Tuesday when Harrison, seeded seventh, hosts 10th-seeded Ridgefield Park in the North 2, Group 2 tournament.
In addition, Harrison is currently in first place in the NJIC Meadowlands Division at 6-0, a full two games ahead of Rutherford heading into the home stretch of the season.
It’s been nothing short of a stunning turnaround for a program that won just 10 matches total from 2015-2022. Last year was believed to be the Blue Tide’s first winning season when it went 9-7.
“It is surprising and surreal, but at the same time, it’s not because these girls work so hard,” said Kolakowski, who is now in his third season as head coach. “ We have long practices, they’re always trying to get better. They’re really hungry for it. So I’d say I’m surprised, but I’m also not surprised just because of the work that they put in.”
At first singles is junior Sarah Vares, one of the few three-year varsity players. Vares, a two-year captain, has rapidly ascended up the ladder at Harrison, going from a reserve, to third singles and now all the way to first where she has a 6-3 record and has won six of her last seven contests.
“She really keeps it all together, is there for the girls, assists them with everything,” Kolakowski said. “To make the jump from third singles to first singles and to done as well as she is doing is so impressive.”
As fast as Vares’ rise has been, it pales in comparison to second and third singles where seniors Serenity Maldonado and Paola Ubri are in just their second year of playing tennis after initially knowing Kolakowski from girls flag football.
Incredibly Maldonado and Ubri are now arguably the strongest members of the team, with both going 8-1 so far.
“They play flag football and they tell me ‘hey, Coach. We don’t play a sport in the fall,’” and I said come give tennis a try,” said Kolakowski.”A year ago, it was a summer practice and Serenity and Paola just showed up and said they’ll give tennis a try. They both played doubles last year and they were good doubles players, but now because of all of the work they put in and just their heart, effort and desire, they’re both 8-1.”
Junior Kailey Mendes, who didn’t play last year and senior Willmary Irrizarry are the first doubles team for Harrison. At second doubles is Samantha Mira, a junior who didn’t play last season, is joined by senior Amy Ulrich, the lone four year player in the program.
Junior Amy Munoz and sophomore Maria Paula Barrera Aristizabal have each played in multiple matches as doubles players.
Rounding out the roster are sophomores Gabriela Torres Celleri and Emmily Valentina Guaman and freshmen Taylor Gadsden and Shilah Olsen.
Harrison’s quest for a first ever division title continued on Monday, Sept. 30 when it played at Weehawken, and then will play Hasbrouck Heights and Secaucus the following week.
“It’s a bunch of girls that really bought into changing the culture of how people looked at tennis and how people kind of just received tennis in the town,” said Kolawkoski. “They really responded to just being a part of the change and just buying into what it takes. It’s really nice to see all that work they put in, start to pay off.”
Learn more about the writer ...
Jason Bernstein | Observer Sports Writer
Jason Bernstein joined The Observer as its sports writer in March 2022, following the retirement of Jim Hague. He has a wealth of sports-writing experience, including for NJ Advance Media (nj.com, The Jersey Journal, The Star-Ledger.)