This year, the recipe for success for the Kentridge tennis team was a simple one: Combine a strong core of talented players in a program with a long-standing tradition of excellence and spice it up with a heaping helping of team unity and spirit \u2013 and voil\u00e1, an SPSL North team title and a perfect 16-0 season record.<\/p>\n
\u201cI actually expected to do well,\u201d coach Bob Armstrong said. \u201cWe lost three key players to graduation, but I knew that we had a real strong core of players.\u201d<\/p>\n
Coming in, Armstrong said he expected big things from his No. 1 singles player, junior Matt Overland, who finished the season with a 9-2 record.<\/p>\n
Armstrong added that he also felt confident about his No. 1 doubles team of juniors Paul Yi and Vineeth Omkaram, who wound up undefeated at 11-0.<\/p>\n
Even his No. 2 doubles team of junior Donald Hall and freshman Vincent Li distinguished themselves with an 8-0 record.<\/p>\n
But for Kentridge this year, the real difference has been the depth of the roster.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the key in tennis is that it always seems to come down to No. 2 singles and No. 3 doubles,\u201d Armstrong said. \u201cYou have your marquee players, but it always seems to come down to the guys further down the list.\u201d<\/p>\n
For the Chargers, that translated into big years from junior Garrett Ballou at No. 2 singles and Henry Ly and Vishaal Diwan at No. 3 doubles.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey really came through for us, as did Garrett Ballou at No. 2 singles,\u201d Armstrong said.<\/p>\n
Ballou, who is the team captain, finished the season 12-0 and Ly and Diwan finished 8-0.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just had some really good combos and players this year, some kids that just played well together,\u201d Armstrong said.<\/p>\n
That gave Kentridge the luxury of not having to shuffle their lineup looking for advantageous matchups against most of the teams in the league.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe only time we moved our lineups was against Jefferson and Kentwood,\u201d Armstrong said. \u201cTo ensure the team win.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to all the talent, Armstrong said that this year\u2019s team bonded well together, creating a team atmosphere that helped nurture some of the younger players.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do a lot of stuff outside the regular practices,\u201d Armstrong said. \u201cAt the start of the year, we have a pancake breakfast and a father and son, or any other relative, tournament. We had a pickle ball tourney at Garrett Ballou\u2019s court.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not big things, but it means something to the team. It\u2019s these things that bring the team together. It\u2019s hard with an individual sport like tennis, but we work hard at this kind of stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to being the team\u2019s captain, which involves a lot of work helping to run practices and managing strategy and lineups at matches, Ballou said it\u2019s his job to help foster the team spirit.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had a lot of juniors this year, so I knew that we\u2019d be young,\u201d he said. \u201cBut most of us are the same age and have played club (tennis) together (at the Boeing indoor court). We try to do non-tennis-related things. A lot of times after a match we\u2019ll go to Dairy Queen. We just try to do team bonding off the court.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ballou is \u201ckind of the heart and soul of the team as their captain,\u201d Armstrong added.<\/p>\n
This past week, the Chargers competed in the SPSL North sub-district tournament, with results unavailable at press time.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we\u2019ll do extremely well,\u201d Armstrong said before the tourney. \u201cLast year we won it. I\u2019m hoping to get four entries to qualify for the district tourney this spring.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Shawn Allen Skager can be reached at 253-833-0218 ext. 5054 or sskager@auburn-reporter.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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