In the 2023 season, the boys tennis team took home the state championship trophy. They also graduated four crucial athletes; Eli Shada, Luke Butler, Ryan Mensch, and Dylan Asmus.
To improve their level of play, the Wolves practiced in the off season. Their coaches, Dillon Luke and Lance Kush, made a team league with girls and boys tennis athletes at Elkhorn North. This continued throughout the summer leading up to the season.
The Wolves also added senior Sheamus Sinnott to their varsity roster this year.
“We knew Mount Micheal was going to be really good, so we drove to compete with the other top teams for second place,” senior Jacob Petrick said.
To kick off the season, the Wolves played against Elkhorn High and won 9-3.
On September 23rd, the boys faced Omaha Skutt Catholic and came out on top, winning 9-1.
On September 28th, the Wolves hosted the Elkhorn North Invite. The boys swept in all divisions; Andrew Sheada and Petrick won No. 1 doubles, Sinnott won No. 1 doubles, Alejandro González Baños and Brody Armbrust won No. 2 doubles, and Jace Carney won No. 2 singles. This was the only tournament that the Wolves took first in.
“Beating good teams in the tournament gave us hope for the rest of the season,” senior González Baños said.
On October 3rd, the Wolves swept Ralston in their regular season dual.
On October 12th, the Wolves made the trip to Kearney to compete in the Class B Duel Tourney. Overall the boys finished 3rd.
“[Kearney] showed us that we can play and compete with the top level stories in Class B,” Petrick said.
On Thursday, October 17th, the Wolves began the state tournament. Petrick and Shada competed at No. 1 Doubles, Sinnott at No. 1 Singles, Armburst and González Baños at No. 2 Doubles and Carney at No. 2 Singles.
After day one of state, No. 1 Doubles, No. 1 Singles, and No. 2 Doubles advanced to the semifinals. No. 2 Singles continued in the consolation bracket. Collectively the Wolves were in 2nd place.
“Andrew and I didn’t play our best tennis but survived,” Petrick said. “This put a little pressure on us going into day two.”
The Wolves finished as the 2024 Class B State Runner-Ups. Petrick and Shada won second in No. 1 Doubles, Sinnott placed third in No. 1 singles, Armbrust and González Baños finished second in No. 2 Doubles, and Carney finished strong at seventh in No. 2 Singles.
“We got the wins when it counted and the end result played out how we wanted it,” Petrick said.
Congratulations to the boys tennis team on their second place finish and an amazing season!
