Ending the season 13-10 overall and 7-2 in Region 4-AAAA, the boys tennis team advanced to the state semifinal before losing 3-2 to Westminster.

“I think the team was pretty disappointed, especially the seniors, but we put up a good fight,” sophomore Jackson Severovich said of the May 13 loss. “I’m excited to play against them next year, though.”

The team beat Northview 3-0 on May 2, which was a significant moral booster for the team as it advanced in the tournament. 

“The Northview win was a huge confidence builder, and everyone trained and played a lot to make sure we were prepared for our next match,” senior co-captain Jackson Barr said.

The victory against Northview has inspired many to become more determined.

“The match against Northview really had a positive impact on the team,” Severovich said. “It has also convinced the team and [me] to strive for bigger goals and train harder.”

The team attributes this success to its relatively consistent lineup. 

“We have had a pretty similar lineup for the past two years, so I think we have enough experience to be very good,” Barr said.

Head coach James Pressly’s efforts are not to be ignored, as Willner said they largely benefitted the team.

“Our coach really likes to focus on the net game,” sophomore Miles Willner said. “This not only helped our technique, but also allowed us as a team to gain more of a wide palette of strategy to use during our matches.”

More recently, Pressly has had the team focus on in-game struggles. To help players improve and recognize areas of difficulty, he utilizes both drills and practice matches.

“At practice, we have been working on drills that focus on our weaknesses or things that we can improve on based upon previous match results,” Pressly said. “The thing that helps everyone the most is probably match play amongst each other. This simulates the environment we will be in when we play against other schools.”

Many players, such as Barr, said region matches, as well as practice have greatly improved their chances of success. 

“We have had a lot of ups and downs this season, so I think we definitely have experienced both wins and losses that have shaped our team into what it is, and we are very prepared,” Barr said. “We have been able to learn from our mistakes, and we played in the tournament as strong as ever.”

Intentionally scheduling difficult matches has been a tool used to improve the team.

“I purposely scheduled tough matches throughout the season, so we had high-level competition leading up to this point,” Pressly said. “Many of the schools that we played outside of our region have made it to the Final Four within the past year or were even defending state champions in their respective classes. We’re ready for the moment.”

Willner said because the team is familiar with the strategies used by teams in the state tournament, they are more prepared.

“We played some of the top teams in the state during the season, which really helped us because it matched the intensity of the teams we played,” Willner said.

Although the team has been successful so far in the tournament, there is always room for improvement. 

“I would say one of the big adjustments needed is remaining aggressive and playing smart tennis,” Pressly said. “The deeper you are into the state tournament; the more strategy will play a role in how we defeat other schools.”

In order to inspire the team throughout the season, Barr has made it a goal to bond the team and encourage self-determination.

“As a captain, I believe I have helped make the team closer and make everyone feel comfortable around each other,” Barr said. “At practice, keeping the energy up and making sure everyone is giving 100%.”

This increase in team comradery has benefitted many players, Seferovich said.

“The energy and sense of teamwork among all the players has been great,” Seferovich said. “I think everyone has grown as a person and as a player. The chemistry of the team has really evolved into a beautiful relationship between all the players.”