Boys tennis tryouts were held on May 3 through 6 after which the athletes in attendance, veteran players and new freshmen started their season with coaches deciding the varsity team on Thursday, May 6.

The boys team played in their first four-match tournament Friday, May 7 and Saturday, May 8. The tournament consisted of several teams from the state of Wisconsin playing in head-to-head dual matches.

While usually playing the tournament bracket style, due to the protocols of COVID-19, the matches were pre-arranged. The team challenged Sun Prairie, Sussex Hamilton, Brookfield East and Neenah.

Veteran athlete Zach Sprinkmann, senior, shared his focus as the team begins their season. “For the rest of the team to find out they made varsity the night before playing against some of the top teams in the state is already hard enough for them. I am proud of the guys on the team for grinding out every point, set and match. I am excited to see what is to come after we get a little practice and see if we can have success within the conference,” Sprinkmann said.

Although the team did not succeed overall at the tournament in terms of record, it was one of the first steps to building their goal of a successful team.

Coach Jackie Egelhoff noticed fewer athletes joining the team this year, possibly COVID related. “We have only two players returning from last year, so the team is full of many new sophomores who did not get to play as freshmen,” Egelhoff said.

As the team continues to participate in tournaments, they are finding a rhythm despite the late start to their season.

“We have a strong conference but feel we can win it. The boys are working hard and improving, so we are looking forward to a strong finish and getting players to state,” Egelhoff said.

Ilia Mikhailenko, sophomore, did not join the team last year due to the cancelation of school and spring sports. This season, he has enjoyed playing on the team and learning new techniques. “I have really enjoyed making new friends and being part of such a great team,” Mikhailenko said.