By Don Ketchum

With their high school athletics days starting to dwindle to a precious few, Nick and Bob Berardi want to make sure they wrap up their careers with a noteworthy achievement.

Their goal is to claim the Division II tennis doubles championship. The tournament began on Friday (April 15) at the Paseo Racquet Center in Glendale.

The top-seeded fraternal twins from Prescott Valley Bradshaw Mountain, will have a first-round bye and begin play on Saturday (April 16) at 5 p.m. against Dan Goldstein and Andrew Good of Tucson Catalina Foothills. The winner will get a two-week break and resume play on April 29.

The Berardis enter this match with a lot of motivation. They fell to another Catalina Foothills team, John Perkin and Brandon Anhart, in last year’s semifinals, and were defeated by a team from Phoenix Sunnyslope in the third-place match.

“Knowing Catalina Foothills, that team we play is going to be very good,’’ said Nick Berardi. “The team we played last year also was very good. We were off our last two matches. I would have a hot game and Bob wouldn’t or he would have a hot game and I wouldn’t. We just weren’t consistent, couldn’t put anything together.’’

Of the upcoming tournament, Bob Berardi said, “It will be a tough draw for us, but if you are going to be the best, you have to beat the best. Losing last year was definitely disappointing. We just weren’t clicking and we got frustrated.’’

The twins have been involved with many other sports at Bradshaw Mountain, including cheerleading and club ice hockey, cross country, golf and football (head football coach Chuck Apap is their uncle) but have continued to refine their tennis game.

“Just playing a lot, getting in shape,’’ Bob said. “I think we’re in better shape. I know I feel that way. I have a lot more energy and I think it shows up on the court.’’

The twins are confident they can go a long way in the tournament.

“We have been there before,’’ Nick said. “It’s not like we’re, “Oh, my gosh, the state tournament.’ We can be successful if we do our business, do what we’re supposed to do.’’

Doing what they’re supposed to do – playing under control. Nick said Bob is a better player at the net, Nick a little better along the baseline. They are good at rallies and are “on and off’’ on serves, Nick said.

“We complement each other well,’’ Bob said. “We volley well, cut shots off, have quick reactions, try to take the pressure off the server.’’

Emotion also is involved. Nick is talkative off the court but more or less clams up and focuses on the game. Bob is quiet by comparison off the court but is more emotional when he plays.

“He’ll even give it a fist pump once in awhile,’’ Nick said.

They are not identical twins, but some think they are.

“I guess it is in the eye of the beholder,’’ Nick said.

They are good in school. Nick is fifth in a class of more than 300, Bob is 15^th.

Bob said he and Nick enjoy school and are looking forward to continuing their education and playing tennis at Hendrix College in Conway, Ark. It is near where they learned to play.

They enjoy hanging out with friends, and are part of the ice crew that maintains the playing surface for the professional hockey team that plays in Tim’s Toyota Center in Prescott Valley, the Arizona Sundogs.