Bulldogs Look To Rebuild In 2015

The Trenton High School boys tennis team enters 2015 needing some new faces to step up into new roles. Trenton returns only one full-time varsity player and two others who got one tournament’s worth of varsity play.
Alex Davis returns as the team’s top player, having been a full-time varsity player a year ago. Davis was 8-11 in singles play, but shined in doubles play, teaming with Isaiah Swann for an 11-6 record. The duo advanced as far as sectionals before seeing their season come to a close. Now, with Swann gone, Davis will step into the number-one spot on the team.
“Alex is the only guy with a lot of experience returning,” Coach Dave Sager said. “He did get to sectionals last year in doubles with Isaiah, so he is probably going to be the most consistent guy on the whole entire team this year. Right now he is hitting pretty well. He still has some things to clean up to be the number one player, but he did play number three last year. That isn’t too far off number one. I am very proud of his leadership right now and he is ready for that number one spot.”
Behind Davis is his brother, Jacob Davis. The younger Davis saw limited varsity time last year, competeing in three singles matches at a tournament, going 1-2.
“This is a very big jump for Jacob because last year he was around the seven or eight player for us,” Sager said. “jumping up six spots is extremely hard to do. I have had to do that before too, so it is going to be a little bit stressful for him. He went to a couple of camps this summer, though, and he is becoming a very consistent player. I think playing with Alex in doubles will help him, too. There might be a few rough patches here and there, but I have total faith in him to be my number two guy.”
Behind the Davis duo, Trenton has Bryce Whitney and Jacob Hall, who each played three varsity doubles matches last year at number three and four, respectively.
“Bryce has been probably our most improved player right now,” Sager said. “Last year we had a few mechanic issues with his swing and right now he is listening pretty well. He is being able to be coached and that is a big thing. His doubles play has always been good, but now he is really starting to get his baseline play for singles down.
“Jacob is probably going to be the four-to-six guy all year long, but we need a good guy down there to kind of round out the group. He is our top lefty, too, which always gives fits to people. I can’t wait to see what he can do there at that number-four spot.”
Isaiah Lickteig and Kade Ockenfels round out the lineup and will be getting their first varsity action of their careers this season.
“Isaiah came out last year and he has been working his way up ever since,” Sager said. “He has just been building confidence each time he is on the court. He is getting used to the pace and that’s what we are looking for this year, these kids gaining confidence and getting adjusted to the varsity pace.
“Kade just started hitting with us this past summer. I know his mom played in high school and was a very, very good player. He is a lefty, too, so that will help him some. He puts the ball in play and that’s really all you can ask of a freshman. He rarely double faults and right now he is just working on getting the pace down.”
Beyond the varsity six, Trenton will look to players like CJ Sibbit, Logan Demsich and Wyatt Neal to lead the JV and jump up to the varsity level when tournaments require added players.
“Technically, my number seven player is Logan Demsich, but he is injured right now,” Sager said. “He is out for a couple of weeks, but he is another kid who was out last year and just needs to build his confidence and adjust to the pace of the game. CJ Sibbit and Wyatt Neal are the next two guys up on the roster right now. Wyatt has a lot of confidence as a freshman and you like to have a cocky freshman every now and then. He isn’t cocky so much as not afraid of anything and that’s what you want. CJ is more consistent, but when we get to those tournaments where you need your top eight those two guys will be playing doubles down at the bottom and I think they will be just fine.”
“The very first practice we set a goal just to become a better, well-rounded tennis team,” Sager said. “We want to learn the game, get ready for future seasons, also, but really just get a good, solid base we can build off of. I lost six seniors last year and those guys were all in the top eight. This is a rebuilding year, but if these guys work just as hard as the guys before them they will be alright. I just want these guys to try and outwork everyone they play this year and if they do that the rest of it will come to them.”
Trenton opens the season today, traveling to St. Joseph to take on LeBlond. First serves for the dual are scheduled for 4 o’clock.