PENDLETON — Experience is always a good thing to have leading the team, and Coach Royce Hammel has some experienced players returning to play tennis this season.
Couple that with a talented crop of freshmen, and this season is looking like it may be an interesting one.
Six varsity players return this year, including both doubles teams and the No. 1 singles. Junior Sam Bowers will be on the court at singles, while seniors Blake Stoker and Logan Jones were at No. 1 doubles, and juniors Mark Nielsen and Cole Bubenzer made up No. 2 doubles.
“Right now, those two are so close together so as to who comes out on top, I don’t know yet,” Hammel said.
Senior Ryland Mills is the sixth returning player for the Arabians. Mills played both doubles and singles last season but finished up the year at singles.
“I think he’ll be in that mix of No. 2 or No. 3 in singles,” Hammel said.
Bowers has taken lessons year ’round and continues to improve his game, Hammel said.
“He’s got a better game this year. He’s got nice shots and a nice game,” he said. He wants to work on the mental game, not in terms of strategy, but rather keeping his head in the game even if the player drops three points in a row.
The other singles spots may see some sophomores or even freshmen making appearances this season.
The doubles crew has the benefit of playing as partners for a year. “They have familiarity, and when that happens, there is a lot more communication during the point,” Hammel said. “And hopefully the younger kids will see that and watch how they play, how they move and how they talk.”
One of the hopeful highlights for this year is Hammel has 10 freshmen. All played middle school tennis on a team that finished 9-2 last year. This was a team that beat Delta twice in the season and won a tournament at Marion. “There’s some talent coming up. It’s just a matter of getting them to be consistent,” Hammel said. “The future looks pretty good.”
Working on hitting away from the net as opposed to hitting to the net is one thing Hammel is stressing to the team this year. Also, he wants doubles to work on shadowing the ball, meaning following the ball when it goes to the partner.
The Arabians have a scrimmage Aug. 12 against Bishop Chatard and start their season at Frankton Aug. 18, with another match the next day at Hamilton Heights.
They dive off the deep end the following week with matches every day, including the Madison County Tournament; the Arabians open against Anderson on the Anderson courts.
After a 5-13 season last year, Hammel is hoping the Arabians can pull out 10 wins this year.
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Roster
Seniors
Will Bluel
Logan Jones
Ryland Mills
Stoker Blake
Juniors
Sam Bowers
Cole Bubenzer
Ben Caldwell
Isaac Elizondo
Mark Nielsen
Sophomores
Isaac Haugh
Cove Richey
Freshmen
AJ Chaplin
Parker Coon
Sean Cunningham
Matthew DePoy
Ty Frakes
Garrett Morgan
Austen Penny
Brayden Stevenson
Troy Thorsen
Jaxton Bush
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Aug. 12;Bishop Chatard;4:30 p.m. (scrimmage)
Aug. 18;@Frankton;4:15 p.m.
Aug. 19;@Hamilton Heights;4:30 p.m.
Aug. 23;@Mt. Vernon;4:30 p.m.
Aug.24;Burris Laboratory;5 p.m.
Aug. 25-27;Madison County Tournament @Anderson;5 p.m.
Aug. 31;@Shelbyville;5 p.m.
Sept. 2;@Rushville;5 p.m.
Sept. 4;Richmond Invitational;9 a.m.
Sept. 7;@Yorktown;5 p.m.
Sept. 9;@Shenandoah;4:30 p.m.
Sept. 13;New Palestine;4:30 p.m.
Sept. 15;Greenfield-Central;5:30 p.m.
Sept. 16;Lapel;4:30 p.m.
Sept. 21;@New Castle;4:30 p.m.
Sept. 22;Delta;5 p.m.
Sept. 27;Noblesville;5 p.m.
Sept. 28;Eastern Hancock;5 p.m.
Sept. 29-Oct 1;Sectional @Mt. Vernon;5 p.m.
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