After winning a sectional championship in 2019, Waldron failed to find enough players to have a 2020 season. That left an opening for Shelbyville, who used a veteran roster to collect its third sectional title in four seasons.
Here is a look at the five Shelby County boys tennis programs.
SHELBYVILLE
Graduation took nine seniors from its sectional championship program giving the Golden Bears a new look for fourth-year coach Ashley Comstock.
Aidan Asher returns to the No. 1 singles position with fellow junior Caden Tackett moving into the No. 2 singles role.
Logan Prickett, also a junior, will open the season at No. 3 singles.
“Half of this season we will be getting varsity experience,” said Comstock. “Once we get through that and get that experience, we will improve and be ready for the sectional.”
At No. 1 doubles, Comstock will rely on junior Ian Blackketter and sophomore Karson Schaf.
“From the first day I put those two together, they have wanted to play together,” said Comstock.
And at No. 2 doubles, look for junior Connor Zobel and freshman Layne Pogue to start the season together.
In the wings will be freshmen Logan Page and Bohdan Rollo working toward match time at the varsity level.
TRITON CENTRAL
Graduation took two seniors while two more varsity players opted not to return leaving head coach Austin Hall the need to build a new lineup for 2021.
Two seniors anchor the singles positions with a talented freshman lodged in between. Senior Alex Crouse rises from No. 2 singles in 2020 to the top spot this year.
Freshman Tucker Hutchinson starts the season at No. 2 singles.
“Tucker has been playing year round tennis since his eighth grade year and he has all the skills to do really well,” said Hall. “I’ve seen a lot of improvement in him the last two years.”
Senior Ashton Sturm settles in at No. 3 singles.
The program’s third senior, Quintin Potts, teams with Avram Rund, a junior, to fill the No. 1 doubles position.
And at No. 2 doubles, Hall has three juniors battling for the slot. Griffin Sego, Cole Thomas and Oliver Gearlds are in the mix.
“All these juniors have been waiting in the wings the last two seasons so they have no varsity experience,” said Hall.
The Tigers have three matches this week to quickly get up to speed.
MORRISTOWN
Veteran head coach Steve Gosnell has nine athletes in the program and just two are seniors.
Tyler Schonfeld and Grant Kessler, both juniors, move up one singles position, respectively, to lead the Yellow Jackets this season.
“They will have tough matches every night,” said Gosnell. “They had a lot of success at No. 2 and No. 3 singles last year.”
The No. 3 singles position is still open. Seniors Carson Essex and Jerry Riley, junior Austin Gabbard, sophomore Brady Schonfeld and freshman Luke Stidham are vying for the final singles spot and a doubles pairing.
Sophomores Rylan Janes and Bryce Bryant will play at one of the two doubles positions.
“A lot like last year, any wins at the No. 1 positions will be bonuses,” said Gosnell. “Our best chances for success will be at No. 2 and No. 3 singles and No. 2 doubles.”
SOUTHWESTERN
Head coach Brian Ebersold likes the idea of playing senior Grant Emerick at the No. 1 singles position. But he realizes Emerick may help the team more at a doubles position.
Emerick, who played No. 1 doubles in 2020 with Matthew Clements, who opted not to return to the program, will start the season at No. 1 singles ahead of freshman Hunter Pappano.
“Hunter is so gifted and ready to play now,” said Ebersold.
Justin Swift, a senior, will play at No. 3 singles.
Two more Pappanos will take over at No. 1 doubles. Seniors Tristan Pappano and Caleb Pappano, who are cousins, have plenty of tennis experience and have played together before. Hunter Pappano is Tristan’s younger brother.
Senior Ty Burcham and sophomore Carter Snepp will form the No. 2 doubles squad.
Freshman Jackson Burcham should also see varsity time this season, according to Ebersold.
“I think we can match up with about everybody,” said Ebersold.
WALDRON
The program promoted junior high tennis coach Austin Swain to the varsity squad and he brought four solid players with him.
Freshmen Lucas Shaw and Jack Fischer will play No. 1 singles and No. 2 singles, respectively.
Josh Kellems, a junior, starts at No. 3 singles.
Sophomore Jacob Lindsey and freshman Max Jones are slotted for No. 1 doubles while sophomore Isiah Jones and freshman Matthew Thomas are the No. 2 doubles pairing.
“We had a really good season last year,” said Swain, a 2017 Waldron graduate. He is believed to be the youngest head coach in Waldron athletics history. “I think we will have a lot of success even as young as we are. It will be a big learning curve for them. I don’t have the seniors and juniors to show them the differences between junior high and high school tennis.”
So Swain takes it upon himself to be the 10th man on the roster.
“I pretty much play with them every practice,” said Swain.
The young coach is working on improving his players’ second serves and refining form and positioning on the court.
“They are all solid athletes,” he said. “In the next four years, they are going to be really solid athletes.”
