OH tennis has been swinging for greatness this spring with a 13-1 record on the season against some tough competitors.
“It’s actually been a great season so far… it’s a lot of guys back from last year, so it’s really fun to watch them grow from last year as well,” said head OH boys tennis coach Zachary Horn.
Varsity athletes Griffin Olson and Jimmy Guo have defined themselves as the top two singles players on the team and play doubles matches on weekends.
“They had a really good match on Saturday against a team that got fifth in state in 1A doubles. They took them to three sets so it was really exciting… we were a couple close matches away from beating them,” said Horn.
Although Prairie Ridge was third in the state as a team and fifth in the state for 1A doubles last year, this season Oswego gave them a run for their money by achieving second place at the tournament on Saturday, Apr 26.
“Me and Jimmy, we play lots of tournaments through the offseason as well which kind of helps us because we get a head start on a lot of the other kids who don’t practice as much during the off-season,” said OH senior tennis player Griffin Olson.
With both of their experience playing together all year round, it gives them a better chance to gameplan for their tougher opponents.
“And we already have plans going into matches… we use signals and we have plans that we go to and it helps a lot,” said Olson.
A solid game plan is crucial to the success of a team that wants to stay on top especially when playing some of the best teams in the IHSA.
“Some of the toughest competitors were Minooka and Waubonsie Valley. They [Waubonsie Valley] were very good, they got the better of us but they were one of the top teams in the state… Another good team we’re versing today is Plainfield East, they’re supposed to be the second best team,” said OH senior tennis player Henry Nelson.
While playing those teams can be a challenge, it is the rivalry of OH and OE that Olson is most excited for.
“This season and last season the best player in our conference is at OE, so I’ve played him both years… And I’m hoping to be able to upset him at the conference tournament, because we’re pretty close in skill level now,” said Olson.
When playing tennis, there are different playing styles. Some are more aggressive and others are more balanced.
“I’m very aggressive. I want to rush the net,” said Nelson. “I want to put points away quick, [and] I don’t like to play long points… very aggressive… and get their demeanor down by how aggressive I play.
Nelson showed that aggression on Tuesday during a doubles match victory against Joliet West.
“I intend to play club tennis in college. I definitely want to keep playing the sport. I enjoy it a ton… Coach Horn was a big factor, he convinced me to play… tennis is such a fun sport I can play for the rest of my life,” said Nelson.
Nelson and Olson, both being seniors, are planning to continue playing tennis beyond their years in high school.
“I’m committed to play at Webster University down in St. Louis. It’s Division III… hopefully playing four years there,” said Olson.
Hi, it's my first year on the 42Fifty staff. I am a senior at Oswego High School and I play football for the Oswego Panthers. You can contact me by emailing 42Fifty@sd308.org and putting my name in the subject line. We welcome comments on our articles and feedback on our publication!
