August 16, 2021 at 9:26 a.m.
Team Preview: RHS girls' tennis
Hodag netters building back toward GNC title
Team Preview: RHS girls' tennis
"I would expect we're contending for the championship," coach Matt Nichols said. "Regardless of where the other teams are at, we've just got to continue to work hard, push ourselves.
"They're focusing on that competition and making themselves better. They're very driven."
It may take a little bit for the Hodags to round into championship form. Despite returning seven starters from last year's team that went 7-1 overall - with the only loss coming against Antigo - a number of flights remain unsettled as the team began competition yesterday with a two-day invite in Wausau.
Luckily, the Hodags will have plenty of non-conference matches over the first two weeks of the season to figure out the best combination once the brunt of the GNC schedule ramps up next month.
"I would expect that everyone has kind of earned their spot and they've grown accustomed to where they are playing," Nichols said of the team's end-of-season goals. "We can start building on strategies, and that ties into that goal of competing against yourself every day. If they can do that, they're going to push themselves day in and day out to get better and I expect everyone - top to bottom, regardless of how long they've been playing - to improve quite a bit from where they were (at the start of practice)."
The top three singles spots appear to be the only ones set in stone as the season begins. The Hodags return their top two singles players - seniors Annika Johnson and Kaylee Pontell - from last year's squad. Sophomore Tori Riopel, who earned first-team All-GNC honors last year at No. 4 singles, bumps up to the No. 3 spot to replace the graduated Kat Metropulos.
Johnson was 7-3 last year in the top flight of singles, and earned honorable mention in the GNC. She nearly moved on to state as well, dropping a sectional semifinal match in a super tiebreaker. Pontell earned the first-team All-GNC nod at No. 2 singles, going 10-2 on the season while Tori Riopel went 9-2 as a freshman.
"Annika and Kaylee were both at No. 1 and 2. They both have a lot of experience," Nichols said. "They've really drilled singles a lot. Tori as well, moving from No. 4 to No. 3. All of them have worked hard over the summer. They all stepped up their game, but they also have the experience from last year to build on."
Junior Taylor Riopel and senior Kylee Younker return and appear to be back in the Nos. 1 and 2 doubles positions they held last year. That's where each played Saturday when the team scrimmaged Wausau West at the RHS tennis courts. Taylor Riopel was 4-5 last season at No. 1 doubles while Younker was 6-4 at No. 2 doubles, but both are in search of new partners after Kathryn Borski and Alexis Hekrdle graduated.
Junior Paige Oleinik and sophomore Shayla Coppenger, who played No. 3 doubles last year, are in the mix to move up into the higher doubles flights. So is sophomore Kayla Tessman, who started one match on varsity last season. Those three platooned between the top two doubles flights and No. 4 singles at Saturday's scrimmage.
"We're working to determine who deserves to be in what spot and who plays well together," Nichols said. "We'll continue mixing them up until we dial it in. We're pretty close, but we have the West tournaments coming up. We'll use those extra matches and figure out a more concrete lineup then."
That leaves the team's No. 3 doubles position to be filled. Amber Bramm, Olivia Jones and Mabel Spencer got looks at that position on Saturday. Freshmen Kelsey Winter and Helena Wisner are also among those in the mix to round out the lineup.
"That's another spot where we're just trying to figure out who works well together and who works best at that position," Nichols said.
The good news is Rhinelander will have plenty of chances to figure out the best combinations. With six matches scheduled in Wausau over two days prior to the team's GNC opener Thursday at home against Lakeland, plus a home triangular against Merrill and Ironwood, Mich. on Friday, the team is scheduled to get in more dual matches this week than it did in all of a COVID-condensed 2020 season.
"It's nice, because we missed that and we missed playing some really competitive teams. We get that right away," Nichols said.
Rhinelander had its first taste of competition in Saturday's scrimmage, in which if faced a stout Wausau West squad that placed second in the sectional tournament a year ago. The Warriors had their way, taking 11 of the 14 varsity matches.
"West is a very solid team. They brought a new level of play, which was awesome to see early on so we can learn from that," Nichols said.
Tori Riopel won both of her matches in straight set at No. 3 singles while Coppenger to a match at No. 4 singles in straight sets. Taylor Riopel pushed both of her matches to tiebreakers at No. 1 doubles, partnered with Oleinik in the first match and Tessman in the second. Younker and Oleinik also fell in a match tiebreaker at No. 2 doubles.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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