Consistency on the court holds the keys for Mitchell boys tennis at state tournament
May 21—MITCHELL — Preparing for the Class AA state tournament, Mitchell High School boys tennis is looking for consistent play throughout the two-day event.
Specifically, the Kernel players are all working on refining the small details, from footwork and positioning to serving, looking to improve a seventh-place finish from last year's tournament. Head coach Tyler McEntee explained those small adjustments propel a player at that stage forward in the bracket.
"They all have great fundamentals," McEntee said. "There's always going to be challenges, no matter what the level is that they're playing at. It's just hardening those skills and trying to mold them into where they can play four or five matches in a day and still produce good tennis for us."
Mitchell heads into the state tournament, which begins Thursday in Sioux Falls, off a 15-6 dual record in the regular season and a third-place finish in the Eastern South Dakota Conference tournament. At the ESD meet, Sutton Thompson won the Flight 6 singles title while the Kernels' No. 2 and No. 3 doubles posted runner-up finishes.
Thompson, a senior, has been a key cog in the Kernels' lineup in the lower flights alongside junior Dawson Adams and freshman Cooper Star, as the trio have a combined 48 match victories in singles play. The success of the lower flights stem from a simple mindset going into each match.
"If you say it's one game at a time, I really believe you have a chance against anyone in the state," Thompson said. "Play your game, play your strength and let the game come to you. … We're just not looking past any opponent, no matter what their record is."
"Our bottom-end players are really kind of the rock of most of our dual meets," McEntee added. "Tennis is such an individual, mental-heavy sport and these guys have shown tremendous strength in the last three months just through the sheer will of getting over some tough moments."
Thompson sports the best match record on the team, entering state at 19-2 in Flight 6. Adams and sophomore Asher Dannenbring have won 17 matches each at Flight 5 and Flight 3, respectively. Fellow senior Luke Jerke is 16-8 at Flight 2, while Star and junior Matthew Mauszycki will represent the Kernels in Flight 4 and Flight 1, respectively.
In doubles, Thompson and Star are 18-6 in Flight 2 and Dannenbring and Adams are 18-5 in Flight 3, with both pairs coming off a runner-up finish at the ESD meet. Jerke and Mauszycki finished in fourth place in Flight 1, where staying focused throughout their time on the court will play a key part in determining the outcome of state.
"A big problem we had this year is focusing on the task at hand," Jerke said. "For every game we just aren't focused and we lose games we know we shouldn't have, we just reset and try to do better. All of us have the technique that's good enough to play at a high level. We just have to be mentally prepared."
McEntee also wants to see how well the Kernels can adapt each match, not only to their opponent's game but also to their environment. Although first match nerves are going to be felt the moment the state tournament commences, the Kernels are ready for the moment.
"We've had upset losses at the beginning of tournaments before," McEntee said, "But these guys are ready to compete and hopefully improve on our standing from last year like we did with the ESD tournament."
The Class AA state boys tennis tournament begins at 8 a.m. on Thursday, May 22, in Sioux Falls. Day 1 matches will be held at Tomar Park, McKennan Park and Lincoln High School, and if weather becomes a factor, matches will be moved indoors to the Huether Family Match Pointe facility.
