The Evanston boys tennis team didn’t have anybody qualify for this week’s state tournament, but that’s far from the only measure of success for the Wildkits.
“This was my favorite year coaching, in six years,” Evanston coach Marcus Plonus said. “We had great leadership from our seniors. We had a huge freshman class of 20 kids. That’s a record. … Tennis is popular, and … it was probably our best JV team that we had. We beat Glenbrook South (at the JV level).”
Plonus credited senior captains Jordan Shapiro and Ryan Foreman for helping create chemistry and a fun atmosphere on the varsity squad. Shapiro and Foreman were paired together at No. 2 doubles for the majority of this season.
Senior David Wolff and freshman Alec Avery, Evanston’s No. 1 doubles team, finished one win away from reaching the state tournament. They lost 6-2, 6-1 to Loyola seniors Patrick Halpin and Andrew Sullivan at the Niles West Sectional on Saturday, May 21.
Plonus said he will likely pair Avery and sophomore Charlie Lindland, who was the Wildkits’ No. 1 singles player, at No. 1 doubles next season to try to get them to state.
Lindland’s primary sport is football — the outstanding athlete figures to compete to replace quarterback Matt Little this summer — but Plonus said players like Avery and sophomore Max Newman appear hungry to spend a lot of time working on their games in the offseason.
“I think they’ve got the bug to get better,” Plonus said. “And they know they’re going to be the leaders next year. The younger guys, they’re really hungry.”
Eric Van Dril is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @VanDrilSports