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By Tyler F. Thompson (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — While the rain continued its onslaught throughout the Ozarks Wednesday afternoon, the Nevada boys tennis team was busy navigating their way to their first-ever Big 8 championship at Cooper Tennis Complex.
The Tigers outlasted stiff competition: Rogersville, Springfield-Catholic, Monett, etc., en route to the title.
“It is something that we have been building for quite a while, I think,” Nevada head coach Samantha Short said. “In the past, the girls had some success. The boys had struggled. But this year, everything just fell into place, and the right people came on board.”
This marks the first season at the helm of the boys’ program for Short, who has been with the district for more than 20 years.
The doubles tandem of Evan Rea and his counterpart, Andrew LaNear, are a big reason for the turnaround.
One reason it has come to fruition for the Tigers.
“We have had the right doubles work together. Evan was a fantastic leader and kind of got us where we needed to be,” Short said. “We could always count on him and his doubles partner to at least bring us two wins in almost everything we did.”
The maturation process has been anything but traditional.
“My No. 2, Cody Leung, came on. He has played some USTA [United States Tennis Association], but not in the last couple years. Our No. 4, Jayden Thankamani, he is a pickleball player. So, to teach them to play together, because pickleball is so different, the working, the chemistry.”
The team’s No. 3, Trey Streeter, also had a hand in the prosperous season.
Added Short: “Jayden and Trey, we struggled at the first. Things that we should not have struggled on. At practice, the boys just kept working and changing and discussing. We are peaking at the right time, and it is pretty exciting.”
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The regular season has been a steppingstone with regards to the conference title.
Just a few weeks ago, Carthage outdueled Nevada (Class 1), 5-4. While the conferences differ, as Carthage (Class 3) plays in the COC, the stiffer matches become a bit more simplistic come the postseason.
The Tigers just defeated the likes of Rogersville (6-3); Mt. Vernon (8-1); Aurora (9-0) and Clinton (9-0).
Overall, per MSHSAA, the Tigers authored a 4-5 record.
“We had a lot of close ones,” reflected Rea, who proudly cradled the plaque. “We beat Rogersville. They beat us last year. That got us some momentum. We won the Fort Scott and Carl Junction tournaments. It has given us confidence in our team.”
But the losses to Catholic and Bolivar and Reeds Spring and Thomas Jefferson only illuminated the internal fire.
A fire that looks to make a deep postseason run.
“Catholic was a tough loss. We learned a lot just playing against people who can hit,” said Rea. “We were more prepared for today’s tournament.”
Rea said he can’t wait to spot the plaque in the trophy case.
“It is pretty awesome,” he said. “For the first time, kind of put Nevada tennis on the map. We knew we could do it.”
Next up is the Class 1 District 12 tournament. Official brackets have yet to be released.
But one thing is for sure: the Tigers will be raring to go for additional hardware.
RESULTS
No. 1 Singles: 1st – Morgan McClain (Catholic), 2nd – Evan Rea (Nevada), 3rd – Ethan Kutz (Monett) 4th- Lucas Wilhoit (LR)
No. 2 Singles: 1st – Jacob Zimmerman (LR), 2nd – Brett Crockett (Catholic), 3rd – Cody Leung (Nevada), 4th – Jackson Young (Monett)
No. 3 Singles: 1st – Joe Daus (Catholic), 2nd – Andrew Lanear (Nevada), 3rd – Roni Yakovlev (LR), 4th – Tyler Moore (Mt. Vernon)
No. 4 Singles: 1st – Jason Schmittling (Catholic), 2nd – Eli Wachob (LR), 3rd – Jayden Thankamoni (Nevada), 4th – Heisman Welch (Monett)
No. 5 Singles: 1st – Raymond Streeter (Nevada), 2nd – Jack Stout (Catholic), 3rd – Silas Roderick (LR), 4th – Xander Dejager (Reeds Spring)
No. 6 Singles: 1st – Jamin Mosher (Nevada), 2nd – Noah Jones (LR), 3rd – Caden Szydloski (Monett), 4th – Austin Robison (Mt. Vernon)
No. 1 Doubles: 1st – McLain/Crocket (Catholic), 2nd – Rea/Lanear (Nevada), 3rd – Wilhoit/Zimmerman (LR), 4th – Greenwalt/Mcgurik (Reeds Spring)
No. 2 Doubles: 1st – Laung/Thankamoni (Nevada), 2nd – Yakovlev/Wachob (LR), 3rd – Daus/Schmittling (Catholic), 4th – Young/Kutz (Monett)
No. 3 Doubles: 1st – Streeter/Mosher (Nevada), 2nd – Deason/Dejager (Reeds Spring), 3rd – Ridenour/Szyldolski (Monett), 4th – Jones/Stewart (LR)
