MONROE - With a team stacked with experienced players, a senior-dominated Monroe tennis team is banking on experience paying off once they hit the court.
Monroe is coming off a season where the Cheesemakers finished fifth-place in the Badger Conference tournament last year, third at the subsectionals and sixth in the sectional. The Cheesemakers have eight starters and 10 letterwinners returning.
"We have been stuck in the middle of the conference for the last four years," Monroe coach Brad Saugstad said. "I would like to see Monroe tennis get back to the point where we aren't fighting to stay in the middle of the conference, but fighting to get to the top of the conference."
Monroe senior Kevin Noriega played No. 1 doubles last year and advanced to state where he and Mark Jenson won a first-round match and then lost to the eventual third-place doubles team. Noriega finished 14-9 at No. 1 doubles last year. However, Jenson graduated so Noriega will need to hone his skills and build a rapport with a new partner this year.
"Kevin Noriega improved as a player last year and gained confidence from getting a win at state," Saugstad said. "Now that he has a full year of doubles under his belt, I think he will understand how to use his athleticism even more to his advantage."
The other returning starters for the Cheesemakers include senior David Shon at No. 1 singles, senior Matt Monahan at No. 2 singles, senior Jeremy Miller, senior Zach Hendrickson, senior Keyton Friske, sophomore Silas Setterstrom and sophomore Kody Althaus.
Althaus went 8-14 and finished fourth-place at No. 2 doubles at the conference tournament. Shon at No. 1 singles went 5-7 last year. Monahan finished 8-10 last year playing No. 1 and No. 2 singles at times. Miller went 5-12 while playing No. 2 and No. 3 singles last year. As a freshman last year, Setterstrom, finished 8-7 at No. 3 and No. 4 singles.
"Matt Monahan and Jeremy Miller are both four-year letterwinners who have been putting in a lot of time on the court," Saugstad said. "I think both of these young men are going to surprise people around the conference by how much they have stepped up their game since last year."
Friske (2-13) and Hendrickson went 2-11 each saw time at No. 3 doubles last year. Seniors Rhett Katzenberger (1-5) and senior Cole Oudinot (1-4) also got experience at No. 3 doubles last season.
Saugstad is excited about having a senior-laden team this season.
"That experience should be a major plus for us because we'll be having seniors at the bottom of our lineup and they will probably be facing a lot of freshmen and sophomores with limited experience," he said. "I'm hoping our seniors will be able to play with a lot of poise and maturity and be mentally stronger than their younger opponents."
Saugstad is expecting both Setterstrom and Althaus to take another step as developing players.
"Both of these guys had ups and downs last year, which is to be expected out of freshmen on the varsity, but I think those experiences will help them this season," he said.
Saugstad is looking for players to improve by using strategy on the court. He wants players to attack opponents by studying to find a weakness.
"For most high school tennis players, strategy takes a back seat to hitting hard with lots of spin," Saugstad said. "Most high school tennis players don't put enough emphasis on working an opponent's weakness."
Madison Edgewood is the favorite to win the conference again. The Crusaders finished second in the Division 2 state team tournament last year and return their entire lineup.
"We are not going to beat them trying to match them shot for shot because their shots are so strong," he said of Edgewood. "Our success as a team is going to have much more to do with the mental side of tennis as opposed to the physical side."
Monroe is coming off a season where the Cheesemakers finished fifth-place in the Badger Conference tournament last year, third at the subsectionals and sixth in the sectional. The Cheesemakers have eight starters and 10 letterwinners returning.
"We have been stuck in the middle of the conference for the last four years," Monroe coach Brad Saugstad said. "I would like to see Monroe tennis get back to the point where we aren't fighting to stay in the middle of the conference, but fighting to get to the top of the conference."
Monroe senior Kevin Noriega played No. 1 doubles last year and advanced to state where he and Mark Jenson won a first-round match and then lost to the eventual third-place doubles team. Noriega finished 14-9 at No. 1 doubles last year. However, Jenson graduated so Noriega will need to hone his skills and build a rapport with a new partner this year.
"Kevin Noriega improved as a player last year and gained confidence from getting a win at state," Saugstad said. "Now that he has a full year of doubles under his belt, I think he will understand how to use his athleticism even more to his advantage."
The other returning starters for the Cheesemakers include senior David Shon at No. 1 singles, senior Matt Monahan at No. 2 singles, senior Jeremy Miller, senior Zach Hendrickson, senior Keyton Friske, sophomore Silas Setterstrom and sophomore Kody Althaus.
Althaus went 8-14 and finished fourth-place at No. 2 doubles at the conference tournament. Shon at No. 1 singles went 5-7 last year. Monahan finished 8-10 last year playing No. 1 and No. 2 singles at times. Miller went 5-12 while playing No. 2 and No. 3 singles last year. As a freshman last year, Setterstrom, finished 8-7 at No. 3 and No. 4 singles.
"Matt Monahan and Jeremy Miller are both four-year letterwinners who have been putting in a lot of time on the court," Saugstad said. "I think both of these young men are going to surprise people around the conference by how much they have stepped up their game since last year."
Friske (2-13) and Hendrickson went 2-11 each saw time at No. 3 doubles last year. Seniors Rhett Katzenberger (1-5) and senior Cole Oudinot (1-4) also got experience at No. 3 doubles last season.
Saugstad is excited about having a senior-laden team this season.
"That experience should be a major plus for us because we'll be having seniors at the bottom of our lineup and they will probably be facing a lot of freshmen and sophomores with limited experience," he said. "I'm hoping our seniors will be able to play with a lot of poise and maturity and be mentally stronger than their younger opponents."
Saugstad is expecting both Setterstrom and Althaus to take another step as developing players.
"Both of these guys had ups and downs last year, which is to be expected out of freshmen on the varsity, but I think those experiences will help them this season," he said.
Saugstad is looking for players to improve by using strategy on the court. He wants players to attack opponents by studying to find a weakness.
"For most high school tennis players, strategy takes a back seat to hitting hard with lots of spin," Saugstad said. "Most high school tennis players don't put enough emphasis on working an opponent's weakness."
Madison Edgewood is the favorite to win the conference again. The Crusaders finished second in the Division 2 state team tournament last year and return their entire lineup.
"We are not going to beat them trying to match them shot for shot because their shots are so strong," he said of Edgewood. "Our success as a team is going to have much more to do with the mental side of tennis as opposed to the physical side."
