Jay netters need to grow

The close of the 2008 season had its positive side and its negative side.

On the positive, the No. 1 doubles duo of Tiffani Bickel and Cindy Muhlenkamp stayed undefeated in the team sectional and went on to win the individual doubles sectional to qualify for the regional. They finished with a 16-7 record and ended their season with a loss to West Lafayette's Elizabeth Bremer and Madison Leslie, who won the regional title and went all the way to the state semifinal match.

On the negative side, the Patriots lost nine of their last 10 matches. And they were knocked out in the first round of the sectional for the first time in a decade.

The 2009 Jay County girls tennis team faces a challenge this year, as Bickel, Muhlenkamp and No. 1 singles player Megan Adams, who is now playing at Huntington University, were lost to graduation. Betsy Knittle, who saw some time in the starting lineup as well, also was a senior last season.

"There are a lot of challenges this year," said JCHS coach Roy Adams. "It's tough, but the thing about it is, our girls that played No. 2s last year sometimes challenged (Bickel and Muhlenkamp).

"If we can get them really strong mentally out there, who knows what we can have at doubles."

Adams said the same of the way his returning singles players matched up with his daughter, Megan, last year.

He also noted that while his seven varsity players have separated themselves from the rest of the team, their positions in the starting lineup are yet unclear.

"Right now we've got pretty much seven who stand out," said Adams. "To be honest we're still working out to see who'll be first second and third, and the doubles. It's all very even right now. ...

"So far in our workouts and practices there hasn't been a whole lot of separation... We may be working to figure this out a while during the season."

The singles group will include Mariah Clark, who split time between varsity and junior varsity last season, 2008 No. 3 singles player Hannah McAbee and Kayla Martin.

The team's No. 2 doubles team from last season - Briann Saxman and Megan Huntsman - returns this year, and Becky Muhlenkamp and Emily Huntsman will take the other two doubles positions.

"Megan Huntsman has certainly stepped up as a vocal leader," said Adams of the senior, while also complimenting her classmates Saxman and McAbee. "She really wants this year. She's working hard; trying to push all the others hard."

While the end of the 2008 season was a struggle - the Patriots' only win came by a 5-0 score over Muncie Southside - Adams said his players have made strides coming into this season. He said he's hoping his team can continue that pattern throughout the season with hopes of making a stronger finish this time around.

"From what I can see so far, I think that we're stronger as far as our ability to hit the ball," he said. "We'll have to see how that translates into competition.

"As far as sectional it's just kind of hard to say. ... We'll just see what happens and how we step up. If we get a good draw I think we can get to the sectional finals. ... If we can step up and play, sectional is a possibility.

"We have got to really grow a lot this season to do that. That's key."[[In-content Ad]]