The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/862179
E-12 Fall Sports Preview Wednesday, August 16, 2017 The Press-Dispatch Where Experience, Quality and Personal Attention Create Exceptional Smiles! Let Our Team Serve Your Dental Needs... • Modern, State-of-the-Art Technology • Highly Trained, Experienced Staff • Dental Implant Surgery & Restoration • CEREC Single Appointment Crowns • Low-Radiation Digital Radiographs • Laser Dentistry • Offering All Cosmetic and General Dentistry Services Dr. Haviland Ayers DMD Doctor of Dental Medicine Dr. Kenneth R. Troutman DDS, FAGD Doctor of Dental Surgery 202 E. 17th Street, Huntingburg, IN 812-683-2006 Visit Our Website www.troutmanfamilydentistry.com The Pike Central High School boys' tennis team, which hosted Northeast Dubois on Monday, Aug. 14, will travel to North Posey on Wednesday, Aug. 16, before hosting the Pike Central Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 19, and traveling to Gibson Southern on Monday, Aug. 21. The members of the team are, first row (l to r): Dalton Williams, Carlos Stewart, Jackson Keepes and Kyle Williams. Second row: Quinton Sorgius, Andrew Claridge, Colin Craig and Head Coach Brent Beck. Not pictured: Ethan Huck. Ed Cahill photo BOYS' TENNIS 2017 Charger tennis team is equipped to compete By Ed Cahill Press-Dispatch Sports sports@pressdispatch.net The Pike Central High School boys' ten- nis team graduated three seniors – Trey Wornica at No. 2 singles and Kaleb Ed- wards and Drew Welch at No. 1 doubles – from last year's squad that finished 10 -7 with a 5 -0 loss to host Jasper in the finals of the sectional tournament. With the exception of senior Jackson Keepes – who returns at No. 1 singles – the Chargers will see new faces at No. 2 singles and No. 3 singles as well as at both No. 1 doubles and No. 2 doubles. "With the exception of Jackson, every- one else is going to be playing up a spot from what they played last year," said Brent Beck, who is entering his 19th season as the Chargers' head coach with a won-loss record of 173-138 and five sectional titles. "Jackson played (No.) 1 singles last year for the first time – after having played doubles the two previous years – so he should have a real good idea what to expect. Everyone else is going to be in maybe more unfamil- iar territory." Keepes ended last season with a sin- gles record of 7-12 and was named to the Pocket Athletic Conference's All-Confer- ence Team after having gone 4-4 against PAC foes. "We're expecting quite a bit from Jack- son," said Bech, whose Chargers placed fifth in the PAC at 4-4. "Jackson kind of went through some growing pains last year. He played doubles as a freshman and dou- bles as a sophomore and, as a junior, he was No. 1 singles. It's just, in my opinion, one of the toughest things to do in high school sports – you're supposedly the best tennis player and you're going to play someone else's best tennis player." "I think, this year, he's more than ready," Beck added. "He's had a pretty nice sum- mer so far. I have very high expectations for Mr. Keepes." Senior Carlos Stewart, who finished last season with a singles record of 8 -9 – includ- ing 3-4 against PAC foes – at No. 3 singles, will advance one position to No. 2 singles this season. "He's going to have to up his game a little bit at (No.) 2 singles," Beck said. "He's more than capable of it. When he and Jackson play, he gives Jackson a good workout. But I think, hopefully, by the end of the season, he'll be playing well. We're expecting things from him. If we're going to win matches, Jackson is going to have to play well and Carlos is going to have to play well." Meanwhile, sophomore Dalton Williams – who saw action mostly on the junior var- sity level last season – and freshman Ethan Huck are battling for the No. 3 singles spot. "It's kind of a toss-up right now," Beck said. "They've been kind of beating up on each other this week. Monday, I think Dal- ton beat (Huck) 6 -0. Tuesday, it was 4-4. Yesterday, I think Ethan won 6 -0. Today, Dalton won 7-5. It's good healthy compe- tition." Junior Kyle Williams and sophomore Quinton Sorgius – who were 10 -9 last sea- son, including 5 -3 against PAC foes, at No. 2 doubles – will move up to No. 1 doubles. "I think if they can kind of accept the challenge of being at (No.) 1 doubles, then I think we should be okay," Beck said. Beck added, however, that making the switch to No. 1 doubles from No. 2 dou- bles would be a big adjustment for Kyle Wil- liams and Sorgius. "They'll see bigger serves, bigger over- heads, a little bit faster pace of play," Beck said. "That'll probably be the biggest ad- justment. A lot of times at a lot of schools, you'll have your two best kids at (No.) 1 doubles, or at least a couple of athletes, any- way. We'll see that a lot." Sophomores Andrew Claridge and Colin Craig – who both opted to play football as freshmen – will team up at No. 2 doubles. "They had played for us in middle school ... and decided to come back," Beck said. "They've actually done a pretty nice job. Of course, there's a lot of things they need to work on, but they're long, they're athlet- ic, and they've got good hands, they've got good feet. So when they don't try to do the impossible – just do the things they can do – they do a pretty nice job for us. I think they should show a lot of improvement by the end of the season." Which is an expectation that Beck has for the rest of the Chargers as well. "Our (No.) 1 doubles has court time and high school varsity experience," Beck said. "Jackson does, Carlos does. But our (No. 2) doubles does not. So I'm very opti- mistic we'll continue to get better." Beck said that, thus far, he was "pret- ty pleased" with the progress his players have made thus far as the 2017 season be- gins. "I think we should be in most matches," Beck said. "I think, looking at our sched- ule, each match we go into, we should have an opportunity. There's not anybody on our schedule where I'm going, 'Oh my gosh, we're really in trouble! '" "Now, when we get to tournament play, that might be another story, but at least the regular schedule, we should be in most matches," Beck added. "I think we should be able to compete in every match." Beck said that it was difficult to gauge how the Chargers would fare against PAC competition this season, however. "I've not really looked to see what a lot of teams have coming back, but, really, it doesn't matter a whole lot," Beck said. "Like last year, you'd see a lot of unexpect- ed things. Heritage Hills No. 1 singles play- er was a sophomore last year, and the year before that, he had been just a kid on jay- vee. One kid moves out, one kid moves in – that can make a world of difference. In fact, one kid can be a game changer." "But I'd like to finish in the upper half, it at all possible," Beck added, "which, I think, is very obtainable." Like last year, you'd see a lot of unexpected things. Heritage Hills No. 1 singles player was a sophomore last year, and the year before that, he had been just a kid on jayvee. One kid moves out, one kid moves in – that can make a world of differ- ence. In fact, one kid can be a game changer." -Coach Brent Beck