2023 Boys Tennis Preview: City, area teams get back in the swing of things
BATTLE CREEK - It's early, but things are already happening on the court, as the best players and teams are being decided throughout the city and the area with every swing.
How things will play out for an entire season is the focus now as the season is one of the shortest of the fall high school campaign, with regionals just around the corner on Oct. 11-14 and the state finals on Oct. 20-21. Bragging rights in the city were set to be decided early as well with the annual All-City event was scheduled for this weekend.
Here is an extended look on the key city and area boys tennis teams for 2023:
Battle Creek Central
Coach: Manley Ramos (2nd season)
Last year: N/A
Top returners: Kyley Fox, Logan Hinskey, Derek Schultz, Trey Sebring
Outlook: Battle Creek Central continues to rebuild its boys tennis program after bringing back the sport last year for the first time in years. Manley Ramos is in his second year as the head coach and is hoping to get some momentum for the sport in the younger grades in the school system and create more experience at the varsity level in future seasons. Kyley Fox and Logan Hinskey both saw matches at the varsity level last year and will play at No. 1 and No. 2 singles, respectively this season.
MORE HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS:
2023 Football: City/Area High School Football Schedules
2023 Girls Golf Season Preview
2023 Boys Soccer Season Preview
Gull Lake
Coach: Roger Cornelius
Last year: 7-4
Top returners: Henry Kamman (jr.), Ethan Leineke (jr.), Nate Hubbard, Chase Sommerfield
Outlook: Roger Cornelius has coached tennis at varying levels in Gull Lake for over four decades. He returns as the head coach of the varsity this season and takes over a program that lost five seniors. However, three returners were in the starting lineup for singles a year ago and that experience could help the Blue Devils contend in the conference. Henry Kamman returns at No. 1 singles and Nate Hubbard and Ethan Leineke will also be slotted for singles play.
"For this season, the boys are excited, working hard and have a really good attitude. I feel blessed to be coaching them," Cornelius said.
Harper Creek
Coach: Brian McManus (3rd season)
Last year: 6-5-2
Top returners: Brady Vette, sr.; Brock Messenger, sr.; Ethan Kline, sr.; Evan Munoz, jr.; Cole Rzepka, sr.
Outlook: A senior-dominated Harper Creek squad played to a winning record last year, but the Beavers lost seven players to graduation. Much of the singles group will be new in 2023 and will be highlighted by four-year varsity member Brady Vette, who moves up to No. 1 singles after playing doubles a year ago. Harper Creek likes its doubles flights, including Brock Messenger and Ethan Kline, who will move from No. 2 doubles to No. 1 doubles.
"We have a great group of new players ready to step up and help put the team to compete for a conference title," McManus said.
Lakeview
Coach: Jeff Van Dis (7th season)/Stuart Smith (1st season)
Last year: 12-1-1
Top returners: Luke Dzwik sr.; Chase Oursler, sr.; Sam LaDuke, sr.; Kalvin Frank, sr.; Jason Deal, sr.; Eric Ryan, jr.; Colin Yarger, jr.; Tyler Duval, jr.; Jay Hamric, so.
Outlook: Lakeview has been a state-ranked team in Division II much of the past five years. The Spartans will find it a challenge to continue at that level after losing their top two singles players and some key doubles players. However, Lakeview does have good experience returning with five seniors and four juniors with varsity experience. Lakeview will have co-head coaches this season with longtime leader Jeff Van Dis being joined by first-year head coach Stuart Smith. Senior Luke Dzwik will take over the No. 1 singles spot as the Spartans look to defend its Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference East Division title.
"We will rely on our experience and our new incoming talent to continue the high expectations that Coach Van Dis and myself have for this program. We are excited, because we see how much this team can improve and gel together throughout the season,” Smith said.
Marshall
Coach: Cristy Ortiz (5th season)
Last year: 4-6-1
Top returners: Landon Fazekas, Xavier VanDeMoortel, John Rowe, Luke Bierbaum, Caleb Hill
Outlook: Marshall will have some changes in the lineup for this season as several players are being asked to move up a flight or two to make up for graduation losses. Landon Fazekas brings the Redhawks some experience as a third-year varsity member with Xavier VanDeMoortel, John Rowe and Luke Bierbaum all in their second year on the varsity.
Pennfield
Coach: Alex Hubbard (2nd season)
Last year: 4-8
Top returners: Bechtol Doviak, jr.; Noah Hammond, so.; Kenny Lambeth, so.
Outlook: Pennfield will continue to have a young program as second-year head coach Alex Hubbard looks for ways to help the Panthers compete in the Interstate 8 Conference. Pennfield does have a returning senior on the varsity roster and only two juniors with the rest of the squad being sophomores and freshmen. Despite that, Hubbard says Pennfield is expecting to improve on the team's record from a year ago and climb in the league standings.
Bill Broderick can be reached at bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on Twitter:@billbroderick
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: 2023 Boys Tennis: City, area teams get back in the swing of things
