BonnerSprings.com

The Bonner Springs boys tennis team opened its season at the Mill Valley Invitational with a disappointing last-place finish on Wednesday, April 1.

Coach Bill Scott, who is entering his 30th season as the Braves’ leader, said he could not remember taking last as a team in his career and the outing was discouraging at first. After some reflection, however, Scott changed his outlook a bit.

“We can only go up from here,” Scott said. “As I got home and thought more about our losses, I started looking at the team I took, and only Ethan (Isaacs) and Kaleb (Black) have had varsity experience (in doubles). We’ll keep plugging away and getting better, plus I will try different doubles combinations until I find one that really works. Sure hope it happens soon.”

Given the Braves’ inexperience at the varsity level, the Mill Valley tournament was a whopper to open up against. Mill Valley — last year’s third-place finisher at the Class 3-2-1A state tournament — won the team title with 24 points. Meanwhile, second-place finisher Shawnee Mission North featured the two-time defending Class 6A state runner-up in singles.

With that being the case, the tournament was less about wins and losses for the Braves and more about gaining experience against top-tier opponents.

Number one singles player Jacob Moulin, a sophomore, won round one over Baldwin, 8-6, but lost his final three matches of the day to Lansing (8-3), Maranatha (8-1) and Blue Valley (8-0).

“Jacob right now is playing really defensively,” Scott said. “He needs to work on his power and aggressiveness, and going to the net.”

At number two singles, sophomore Cordell Duncan had a close first match before losing to Baldwin, 8-6. He lost his next three matches to Lansing, Maranatha and Blue Valley.

“This was Cordell’s first match ever at a varsity level,” Scott said. “When he gets a little more consistent on his ground strokes and stays in the point longer, he will start winning.”

The number one doubles team of seniors Ethan Isaacs and Kaleb Black also went 0-4 on the day. They lost to Baldwin, 8-6; Lansing, 8-2; Maranatha, 8-4; and Blue Valley, 8-3.

“(Isaacs and Black) played their best (all day) against the (eventual) tourney champions, Maranatha,” Scott said. “At times they looked like a good doubles team, but again, they are too up and down and not consistent.”

The number two doubles team of seniors Alex Sullivan and Matt Billie played well at times but could not close out matches when they had the chance to. They lost a heartbreaker to Baldwin, 8-6, after a crucial double fault and a weak return of serve into the net, allowing Baldwin to take control of the match. They lost their remaining three matches but were competitive in all of them.

Scott said he liked what he saw out of Sullivan and Billie at times.

“They played like our number one doubles,” Scott said. “(They were) good at times, but playing well one out of every three points isn’t going to win you matches.”

The Braves will take the experience they gained at the tournament and put it to the test at 3 p.m. today in a dual at Lincoln College Prep. Then the Braves will return home Tuesday for the BSHS Invitational singles tournament.

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