Bradford High tennis players Brett DeGolier and Joey Yaros better be able to handle pressure.
Owls coach Mark Sherman has pegged the pair of three-year lettermen as the key to the team’s success this season.
“We lost guys to graduation, so DeGolier played (as no. 3 singles player) last year and will be bumped up to No. 1 this season and Yaros was number four last season and will be No. 2 this year,” stated Sherman during his preseason interview last week. “They are our team captains and how they go will be how we go.
“Both DeGolier and Yaros have very consistent games. They are not going to beat themselves. Their opponents will have to downright beat them,” the coach emphasized.
Sherman, beginning his 30th season of coaching tennis at the school (he also coached girls tennis) knows his top two singles players are solid, but has to come up with two more singles players to complete the four spots.
“Right now I have to find my No. 3 and 4 single players,” he pointed out.
The frontrunners are seniors Collin Haskins and Cadyn Sutherland.
“They’ve shown promise along with juniors Alex Marrone and Troy Tobias,” stated Sherman. “It will be nice to be able to mix and match them throughout the year and we won’t lose much.”
Remaining seniors Anthony Gorse, Easton Rinfrette and Blake Bryant will be counted on in doubles pairings, along with juniors Hugh Kennedy, Noah Neel, Ken Miller, Dillan Cramer and freshman Noah Yeager.
“Those guys give me great options in doubles,” said Sherman, who will be putting together three doubles teams for each match. “They’re all playing well. We won’t lose much and everyone is going to get playing time.”
The Owls put together a 6-5 record last year and are looking to improve on that, but it’s not going to be easy.
“Our first four matches will be the key to our season because three of the four are away. It’s a rough way to start, especially with this schedule,” Sherman pointed out. The Owls open at St. Marys, host Johnsonburg and then travel to Brockway and DuBois. “How well we play in those matches will determine how successful we are.
“We don’t have a lot of overall experience, but we did get out on the courts earlier than in previous years and I like what I’m seeing. Usually we only get about a week of practice.”
Bradford’s complete 2019 schedule follows:
March
28 — At St. Marys
April
2 — JOHNSONBURG
4 — at Brockway
11 — at DuBois
15 — CLEARFIELD
16 — DUBOIS CENTRAL CATHOLIC
18 — at Punxsutawney
23 — Elk County Catholic
25 — ST. MARYS
29 — District 9 team tournament (TBA)
May
1 — District 9 team tournament (TBA)
2 — at Johnsonburg
6 — District 9 singles tournament
7 — District 9 singles tournament
9 — ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC
13 — District 9 doubles tournament (TBA)
14 — PIAA team championships
17 — PIAA team championships
18 — PIAA team
championships
24 — PIAA singles/doubles championships
25 — PIAA singles/doubles championships
