The closest thing the East Penn Conference has to a boys tennis dynasty can be found on North Cedar Crest Blvd.

The Parkland Trojan program has a tradition of excellence spanning well over four decades. Entering his 10th season at Parkland, head coach Michael Hingston has consistently displayed a penchant for teaching the sport and getting his players mentally prepared to win.

Last season the Trojans were awesome. A 14-0 regular season and a league title, a co-EPC postseason team championship, and a District 11 team title came before a first-round state playoff loss to Harriton in the PIAA Class 3A tournament.

This year Hingston welcomes back some of the talent who helped forge the impressive record. Senior Dan Zolotarev has been installed as the program’s No. 1 singles player and is mentally sharp and is OK with pressure.

“Tennis is like chess on feet,” Zolotarev said last season. “I like the individual aspect of tennis. It’s all on you.”

Zolotarev “has developed a good all-around game,” according to Hingston.

Right with Zolotarev talent-wise is another senior, Fyodor D’Souza, who holds the No. 2 singles position. In the season’s first week Josh Thomas was slotted in the No. 3 role.

The doubles teams will remain fluid throughout the season. During the first week Parkland went with tandems of Lucas Lee and Kevin Yao, Taeyhuk Yang and Ryan Wie and Rithik Raghurama and Noah Oxfield. Syrang Fazel and Eric Jin also teamed-up in doubles competition in early season action.

Last Tuesday, Parkland started the season with a shutout victory over Pocono Mountain East 6-0. The next afternoon the Trojans easily outdistanced Bethlehem Catholic, 7-0.