ROCKINGHAM — Since late January, members of the Richmond Senior High School boys’ tennis team have been setting the tone for what’s expected to be another successful spring campaign.
The Raiders and third-year head coach Patrick Hope open the 2020 slate on Tuesday at Seventy-First High School. Richmond will be without four seniors from a year ago, and is looking to build off a sixth-place finish in the Sandhills Athletic Conference.
“Every year, I always challenge our players to get better individually as we progress through the season,” Hope said of continuing to grow the program. “I have seen our guys grow in ability and awareness already since we started in late January.”
Gone are former starters Mason Bailey, Caleb Brewer, Kevin Campos and Ben Morrison, but an influx of returning starters and fresh faces give the Raiders a good chance to remain competitive.
Back this spring is junior Bradford Pittman, a two-year starter, and who is likely to earn the No. 1 seed on the team. Also back are fellow juniors Karym Ojeda and Alex Yates, both of whom played significant minutes as sophomores last year.
Joining the squad this year are senior Lee Hayden, juniors Douglas McDonald and Mack West, along with freshmen Matthew Burns, Ethan McDonald and Ty Murray.
“I expect our top player to be Bradford,” Hope explained. “He's our most experienced player and is taking a leadership role in mentoring and providing tips for the other players. Karym and Alex also return with match experience.
“Lee, Mack, and Ty are newcomers who have shown some promise,” he continued. “Ethan, Matthew and Douglas are also getting better. A goal will be to get every player in at least one singles or doubles match this season. A lot of these guys come from other sports, but have worked on what they need to do with a racket to be functional and consistent players.”
Despite Hope being out of town on Friday for a conference, nearly the entire team met at the tennis courts to practice. It’s this type of dedication that gives Richmond an edge against some of its SAC opponents this season.
Hope is also feeling better prepared himself as he enters his third season with the Raiders. A sport he’s grown to enjoy, he feels his couple of years of experience will offer insight to returning players and new ones alike.
“I feel like I am better prepared to help the new players with their techniques and strategies with serves, forehands, backhands and positioning on the court,” Hope said. “I also try to get them to understand that they don't have to be aggressive all the time, and that quality and consistent play will take them a lot farther than trying to hit winners all the time.
“I’m also working to have the players think forward and play the match one point at a time and not worry about what happened in a previous game or set,” he added of the team’s mindset. “I see those little coaching points being applied at practice, and it's helping them win points and games against each other.”
Focusing on the competition that lies ahead, the Raiders will have to contend with three strong programs in Jack Britt, Pinecrest and Scotland high schools. Last year, Jack Britt went a perfect 11-0 in conference play to win the SAC title, while Pinecrest and Scotland finished with a 9-1 and 8-4 mark, respectively.
Richmond wasn’t far behind, going 4-8 in SAC play. Just ahead of the Raiders was Lumberton High School with a 5-6 record. The aim this season is to string together more wins as a team and try to close the gap with the top teams in the conference.
“Like every other sport, the SAC is competitive in tennis,” Hope noted. “Every team has quality players, so we have to be mentally focused every time we step on the court.
“Jack Britt, Pinecrest, Scotland seem to be the top three teams every year, with Lumberton and us being in the middle,” he continued. “We just need to take advantage of every match we play, be at our best when the conference tournament opens, and try to place some players at the regional level.”
The Raiders’ schedule will see them play 14 regular-season matches, two each against SAC opponents. There are no non-conference teams on the slate.
“I feel like this group of players has been very committed to their skill acquisition and development,” Hope said. “I recall a lot of players being on the courts working on their own during the playoff run in football, and some get some extra work in on the weekend.
“There's a good mix of guys who can help us right now and contribute to our future success,” he closed.
The Raiders will travel to Seventy-First on Tuesday, and return to Richmond for their home opener against Scotland on Thursday. Both matches are set for 4 p.m.
