Growth was the name of the game for the Oakville boys tennis team this season.
“The season went great,” Oakville coach Connor Cassity said. “The new guys brought great new energy and motivation to the team. It was fun to see everyone grow so much throughout the season.”
Leading the way was senior Josh Tiemann, who finished undefeated in singles play, going 19-0. The Oakville senior took the top spot during district play and advanced to the state tournament, earning a top-four finish.
“He has totally put Oakville on the map in the tennis realm and is a phenomenal player,” Cassity said. “He will be playing Division III tennis next year at Coe College.”
Kolton Kreisz was also a key player in singles action for OHS.
“He was always battling until the end,” Cassity said. “I could always count on Josh and Kolton to solidify a doubles win as well, whether they were playing together or apart.”
Sam Webb also played an important role on the team this season.
“Sam was often our fifth win in singles against the other schools and was a huge key player this year,” Cassity added.
A newcomer to the team this season was Ian Sokolich. Sokolich was in the five-spot for the Tigers.
“Ian played No. 5 on varsity, being a totally new player to the sport,” Cassity said. “He is an incredible athlete with a great attitude.”
With the tennis squad, there were times during the season when the players had to pick each other up and Cassity said she was quite impressed with the attitude her squad displayed throughout the year.
“The overall team morale was definitely a highlight for me this season,” she said. “The way the guys were supporting each other and working together to improve was awesome.”
As for the outlook for next season, Cassity said the team will have to continue to progress, getting as much playing time as possible in the off-season due to there being so many new faces this year.
“We had a lot of new players this year,” she said. “So, if they are able to play in the off-season and perfect their strokes and increase consistency, we have a great shot at having a successful season next year.”
