Hounds Boys Tennis Season Outlook
After a long-awaited season, the Pullman Boys Tennis Team, currently undefeated in the 2A Greater Spokane League for over five consecutive years, has awoken for an optimistic continuation of their unvanquished legacy. Following the previous season, in which senior captains Mir Park and Reed Newell took 4th place overall at the State tournament. In addition to this, this year’s Greyhounds will have to adapt after their preceding varsity roster consisted of several seniors. Following the previous season, in which senior captains Mir Park and Reed Newell took 4th place overall at the State tournament. In addition to this, this year’s Greyhounds will have to adapt after their preceding varsity roster consisted of several seniors. As the Hounds begin this season with a fresh roster of Juniors led by Nathan Sutton, they will have to find their footing as they re-enter the league. Above all else, assistant coach Olivia Craine’s absence because of obligations in both the school and personal life will be damaging to team morale. Additionally, a severe history of absences on the roster due to academic obligations will yet again be a great challenge for the hounds, as possibly players with little experience would be forced to play in place of their varsity absences. In spite of all these disparities, the Hounds remain resilient and do not plan on giving up their undefeated title anytime soon.
As previously mentioned, Pullman’s “Junior Juggernaut”, Nathan Sutton, who excels in the league for Doubles but specializes in Singles, remained undefeated last season. He has lettered every year since the start of his high school career, undeterred by the fact that he had only started playing the sport in the summer following the conclusion of his middle school. Nathan is often labeled by both his team and opponents as a “Brick Wall,” which is a result of his excellent foundation and fundamentals, as well as his unbroken consistency and willpower. Nathan’s senior, Daniel Schertenleib, who is currently the official Captain for the team, is the top Doubles Player within the Greater Spokane League. Nathan’s initial success at his first-ever high school meet at Gonzaga Prep can be attributed to the strong leadership of Daniel, as they won in their number one doubles match-up. As captain, Daniel is able to manipulate the team dynamic so that they are motivated and striving for improvement. Overall, Daniel is a rock-solid player who has been playing tennis for over a decade and can fulfill just about any role that the team needs.
As opposed to Nathan and Daniel, a fiery up-and-coming sophomore, Kevin Chi is a very promising candidate to compete at state. Kevin’s physical prowess is demonstrated by his seemingly never-ending stamina as he sprints from either side of the court with incredible agility. Despite his small stature, both his serve and forehand can produce an explosive amount of power and topspin. However, he is not just a ball of energy and determination; he remains calm and collected and brings a certain energy to the team, inspired by his charisma.
Looking towards the team strengths, the Boys’ Tennis Team highlights success mainly in the regional league. Boasting a 5-year undefeated record in the 2A GSL League, the team has maintained victories over competing schools in the region. The tennis program has also sent at least one state qualifier consecutively for the past 5 years. Attending invitationals such as the Richland Jamboree and the Inland Empire Tournament has proved to be beneficial for the group, giving vital match experience with schools outside of the league.
As the team heads into the following spring season, some challenges regarding the lineup arise. With the loss of a major senior class in the previous year, the varsity lineup has been struggling with maintaining its composure and finding its place in the matches they play. The team will have to evolve and overcome personal mistakes in their play to rise and become better than the competition. Additionally, many players are beginning to harbor more injuries, specifically sustaining stress in their knees and shoulders. With these players being absent from more practice and matches, they will have to adapt and play around their injuries to maintain their place in the league. Another key concern with the team includes the unavailability of players during crucial matches. Due to academic endeavours that introduce schedule conflicts, the team will need to rely on its top JV lineup to shoulder the burden that some varsity players would have left. Crucial meets include matches against West Valley and Clarkston, with the team missing #1 singles player Nathan Sutton in his match against Clarkston.
Competition drives improvement, and with the success that the Pullman tennis program has brought, competitors have arisen as a result. Pullman’s historical rivals in tennis have been Clarkston High School and West Valley High School. Key players from these schools, such as Conner Kunz and Cody Whittle, have proved to be significant challenges for the Pullman team to overcome. With their graduation and subsequent absence from the league, competition has been sparse but is expected to improve during their leave. As a result, the Bantams and the Eagles prove to be significant threats to the long-standing record that the team holds.
Despite the losses of the varsity seniors, senior captain Daniel Schertenleib feels good about the upcoming season. He says, “We got a good group of guys, I think we will be good.” Schertenleib has been on the team throughout the past three seasons, when they have had attendance problems. He believes that this year will be different and that this group of guys is closer than in the past years.
This season will be a test of how good a program Coach Cody Wendt has built over the past few seasons. The team looks to stay undefeated for the fifth consecutive season and has a strong group of close guys to do it. The team expects to send at least Nathan Sutton and an undecided doubles team to state. A dream situation would be to send two doubles teams and a singles player.