TENNIS Liberty's Baroff brothers prepare for district dates

Doubles competition also will begin play on Thursday.
By MARK W. MILLER
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
Sectional champion Richard Baroff of Liberty will go against Beachwood's Jeremy Stein in the first round of the Division II district tennis tournament at Weis Park in Canton.
His brother, Ryan, will play Lake Ridge Academy's Weston Corogin.
The brothers, both seniors, practice together most of the time at the Liberty High courts and in the winter they practiced at the Liberty Racquet Club.
Richard Baroff, who has been playing for 14 years, posted a 6-2 regular season record. He defended his sectional singles crown, winning five matches.
He said that his strong points are his service, his forehand and his ground strokes from the baseline.
"I move the ball around a lot and try to keep my opponents on the run," he said, adding he doesn't know much about Stein.
"I will see what he is like from the baseline during warm-up, then try to test his net game," said Baroff. "If his net game is not strong, I'll try and keep him back as far as I can along the baseline."
So far
Ryan Baroff's season record was 7-0 and he was 4-1 in the sectional tournament. This is his first district tournament appearance.
"He plays an all-around game," Richard Baroff said of his brother. "If he can serve and volley, he'll try and do that. If not, he'll try to rally from the baseline for points."
The brothers were also members of Liberty's golf team.
Richard Baroff played for the Leopards the past three years and averaged 37.5 per nine holes this past season, while Ryan averaged between 39 and 40.
The brothers were also on the Liberty bowling team. Richard Baroff carried an average of 210 and Ryan Baroff averaged 190.
Ryan Baroff is a member of the National Honor Society and carries 3.9 grade-point average and will attend Emory University in Atlanta.
Richard Baroff will continue playing golf at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla.
In doubles competition Thursday at 9 a.m. Poland's Dom Roselli and Chad Ruehs will face Babe Weil and William Fields of Hawken, and the Bulldogs' Luke Duchek and Don Somers will meet Kevin Rowe and Jonathan Bruckman of Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin.