Boys tennis returns two veteran players

The Outlaws boys tennis squad graduated seven seniors last year, and this year are looking for more players to round out their roster.

Only two varsity players return to the squad — seniors Nate Weber and KJ Sweet.

Weber is back for his final year. He earned a trip to state as a sophomore singles player, and won a match in the consolation round. Coaches are hopeful that Nate will improve on that this year.

Coach Carl Click said, “Nate is an accomplished tennis player, and could be the best singles player in our district this year. He can hit hard from the baseline, but he’s usually more athletic than his opponent and covers the entire court. His serve can be hard, but improving first-serve accuracy and consistency will be key to rising to the level of the top players in 4A at state.”

Sweet has been with the program since he was a freshman and entered with no previous tennis experience. He’s improved each year and will play doubles for the Outlaws this year.

Junior Jaxon Barry and sophomores Matthew Richler and Zenus Ortega are new to the team this year and first-time tennis players who just began to learn the game last spring. The Outlaws were just a few days away from their first match when the season was canceled due to the pandemic. They are ready for some real tennis action, and will most likely play doubles.