Wolves tennis wraps up season

With three All-State mentions and a boys team that looks to be ready to compete for a state title, head tennis coach Phil Harder says he's feeling motivated after the state tournament.

The tennis teams traveled to Gillette to compete at the tournament, with the boys finishing sixth overall and the girls taking fifth.

For the boys, Braxton Cordova, who plays Singles No. 1 took fourth at the tournament, earning All-State in the effort. Singles No. 2 player Korbin Arnell was knocked out of the tournament in the semifinals of the consolation bracket. For the doubles teams, Zach Friel and Taylon Tirrell made it to the semifinals of the consolation bracket, as did the teams of Jacob Wendel and Jake Findlow in Doubles No. 2 and the Doubles No. 3 team of Shawn Arellano and David Ross.

For the girls, Gabrielle Heiser made her way to semifinals of the consolation bracket while Megan Counts took second in Singles No. 2. In Doubles No. 1, Alicia Harrison and Kiley Brown were eliminated in the third round of consolation bracket play, while the Singles No. 2 team Alli Brown and Brianna Strauss were eliminated in the second consolation bracket round. In Doubles No. 3, Lillian Travis and Hannah Skinner made it to the second round of consolation play. Heiser and Counts were named All-State.

Harder said he is proud of his team's successes throughout the year and said he's going to miss the girls who will graduate at the end of the school year.

"These girls have had a lot of success," Harder said.

With the boys, having seen them work their way from being sixth out of eight teams to becoming the regional tournament has him motivated for next year's season.

He hopes the middle school tennis club recently established as a feeder program into the team, as well as the successes the senior girls have had in the four years they've played tennis will attract more players to the team.

"Tennis is fun. We've got a great coaching staff and the kids work hard," he said.