By Cory Sparks, Sports Editor
The Indian Trail High School & Academy boys’ tennis team is closing in on the conclusion of their season, and so far it’s been quite the impressive feat.
Boasting a 7-0 conference record , the Hawks have brought the heat to nearly all of their opponents this season. With a quality mixture of seniors who are halfway out the door and underclassmen who are just stepping into it, the passing of the baton is coming with a strong affixation between teammates.
“We’re a really close-knit group. We all want each other to win, it’s a positive environment, and we never feel bad if we lose,” said Joey Hillstrom, varsity singles player and General Studies senior.
The Hawks were just one match short of making it to state as a team last year. That downfall lead to this year’s hunger-filled season for both the seniors who want to have an enjoyable last hurrah all the way down to the freshmen who want an early taste of state competition.
“We have all levels of players from tournament players all the way down to players playing for the first time picking up a racket, and I think everyone so far has a win this year,” said Todd Anderson, Indian Trail tennis coach. “They’ve played kids who have probably been playing for three or four years, and they have a win already. That’s really hard to do.”
The success in some of the younger players’ early tennis careers can partially be paid to the welcoming atmosphere that resonates throughout the team.
“We always have fun and hangout with each other, so that really helps build our chemistry,” said Andy Del Real, General Studies freshman. “We also enjoy playing matches with and against each other which also helps.”
Despite the varying ages on this tennis squad, there seems to be a very prominent theme across the board as the boys compete.
“It’s resiliency. We were down in two or three matches, had to come back and fight to win the third sets when it looked like things weren’t going to go our way today,” said Anderson following a 7-0 home sweep against Racine Case on April 21.
Aside from said resiliency, the genuine love for the game has a hand in the team’s consistent success against its opponents.
“I think we are doing well because we are hardworking and we really hunger for victory and we just like playing tennis,” said Del Real.
With the combination of those skills and a positive mentality, the team has come back to win multiple matches this year.
Although pleased with their play thus far, the boys are not satisfied with just an impressive win-loss count. They have their hearts set on playoff play and aspire to go on a deep run as a team.
“Given our potential, I think the team can go to sectionals as a team, and we have a couple of people that can qualify for the state tournament,” said Hillstrom.
In order to capitalize on this very potential that can take the boys so far, they must improve and keep themselves in check in a few categories.
“Sometimes we come out a little over anxious and over ambitious. We start to over hit, and we get down and have to claw our way back,” said Anderson. “When we start out nice and even-keeled and let the game come to us, we tend to make things much easier on ourselves.”
Anderson suggests that the desired result of a state appearance as a team can definitely occur if the boys implement these calm mindsets within themselves, and keep their domination up throughout the conclusion of May and into June.