By Travis Smola
Vicksburg tennis head coach Warner Offord predicted before the season the boys would surprise some people in the Wolverine Conference this year.
But as the wins keep piling up, the team may be ever better than he predicted. “We’ve got a super team,” Offord said before the team defeated Hackett Catholic Prep 5-3.
Singles play has been an incredibly strong point all year as seniors Bryce O’Neill and Caleb Fort have helped lead the way, often winning in quite dominant fashion. It’s often been a clean sweep for singles action with freshman Ayden Flickinger and junior Connor Seifert playing in a similarly strong fashion.
The team has defeated some pretty difficult opponents along the way too. On September 14, the boys defeated tough conference foe Edwardsburg 5-3.
Offord believes it should have been a clean sweep. “Instead of 5-3, it should have been 8-0,” he said.
He said the team has been in every match they’ve had this year. Offord believes they could have easily turned other losses, like Paw Paw into a win or tie.
The doubles teams comprised of Garret Brewington and Jaymie Gapayao, junior Alex Harsha and sophomore Corbin Wallace, sophomores Sam Gearig and Casey Hall and senior Jeremey Henderson and sophomore Jonathon Perkins really showed their stuff at the Caledonia Invite near the beginning of the season.
It was there that the team compiled perfect 8-0 victories against Kalamazoo Central, Plainwell, Otsego, and Three Rivers.
Offord is excited about just what this team may be able to accomplish. His ultimate hope is for the team to make it to state, something that hasn’t been seen out of Bulldog tennis in decades. As the boys dispatched Hackett Catholic Prep in a little under an hour, it was clear things could get exciting as the team is peaking at just the right time.
“This is probably the best team we’ve had since I got here,” Offord said.