Badger Boys tennis eyes another state run
Badger sophomore Reid Hirn (26-1) anticipates his return shot in his sectional championship match Thursday, May 29.
Badger Boys Tennis is looking to make it back to state competition again in the 36th and final season for Head Coach Paul Lauterbach.
Last season was a record for the team according to Lauterbach, with the Badgers claiming their third straight conference championship, a 4th place finish in the State tournament as a team, and several individual State qualifications.
Following the loss of only two seniors, Lauterbach is excited for the return of several top players from last season and a few who were on the edge of being in the team’s top 10 that have a chance to show their skills this year.
The conference and sectional champion doubles team consisted of seniors that will surely be missed this season but gives room for some younger players to shine.
“We’re going to be very confident this year going into the season and we just got to make sure that we are confident without being cocky because a lot of things can happen during the season,” Lauterbach said. “You can get upset, you can get surprised by some teams, you know, somebody can get injured, grades, there are different things. But we do have a very strong lineup coming back.”
Badger freshman Ben Auguston hits a return shot in the number three doubles championship match at sectionals Thursday, May 29.
The schedule for the Badgers will include several invitationals against programs that Lauterbach acknowledged that with the big run that the they had last season, they now have a target on their backs, but want to prove that they can make another big run this season.
“We are in some big time invitationals this year because everybody wants to play us now,” Lauterbach said. “So, targets are on our back, which is, you know, it’s a privilege. It’s not something we’re going to shy away from. We’re going to embrace it. These guys will work harder than any team I’ve ever had because they’ve earned it.”
The team will have 12-14 players consistently playing for success, as Coach Lauterbach mentions it takes all of them to make big runs like last year’s.
One way the team is preparing for the upcoming season is working on tiebreaker matches, as the way to win or lose games in previous seasons came down to the final match in a best two out of three scenarios more often than not.
“We practice them from day one because so many matches will come down to how do you do in the close matches,” Coach Lauterbach said. “There are some matches that you’re going to win. There’s some matches that you most likely will lose, but a lot of our matches could go either way.”
Lauterbach said he is coming back to coach not because he has to, but because he wants to, really enjoys coaching this program, and is looking forward to this season with the student athletes, coaching staff, and parents.
“It’s a great program,” Coach Lauterbach said. “I really enjoy it and I want the players, the coaches, and the parents, you know, just let’s have a good season. We’re going to work our butts off, and we’re going to set the bar really high. But I just want to make sure that everybody really enjoys the season as a whole.”
