FORTVILLE — Winners of the Mt. Vernon Sectional and co-Hancock County champions, the Mt. Vernon boys tennis team has a new head coach this season, but other than that, not much else has changed.
The Marauders return every member of last year’s 17-5 and Hoosier Heritage Conference runner-up team.
“It’s always great to have everyone back. You never want to lose the leadership you had, so it’s nice to have that spread of pretty even seniors through freshmen,” new head coach Graham McMullen said. “There’s some excitement around the familiarity that’s there. The camaraderie is still there, everyone knows each other, and a lot of these kids have grown up with each other for the last 17, 18 years.”
Singles players Adam Koon, Manny Downs, and Tate Cougill are back with the team, along with doubles players Max Orelup, Matt Jones, Robbie Moore, and Bryndan Wylie. All seven were mainstays in the Marauders starting lineup.
“It’s a good group of friends. It’s just a group of guys that get together and hang out off the court,” McMullen said. “That’s what you want to see, and that’s the beauty of a small town. That’s what I want to continue with the culture here. It’s family first and all about getting closer as a team.”
Leading the way for the Marauders, and someone who almost always guaranteed the team a point last season, will be the No. 1 singles player, Koon.
Last year, he was the No. 1 singles county champion, was second-team All-State, and set a school record with 24 wins. He lost just two matches all season, with one coming to Fishers’ Reese Knoderer, the No. 4 ranked player in the state, in the individual sectional championship. Knoderer went on to advance to the IHSAA state quarterfinals.
“I’ve probably spent more time with that kid than his parents have in the past few years. I love the kid to death and would do anything for him,” McMullen said. “Over the last three years, I’ve never seen a kid work so hard and so efficiently. He doesn’t waste his time, when he’s there, it’s for a job. He’s there to get better, never really goofs off, and wants every minute to be important and part of his development.”
As he enters his senior season, and coming off of a year in which he set the Mt. Vernon win record, expectations are high, but wins aren’t as important for him as they have been in the past. According to McMullen, this year is about maturing into that role of senior leader.
“Over the past year, his tennis game has developed, but it’s more so his maturity. Coming in as a senior this year, it’s not about the wins and losses for him anymore, which is great,” McMullen said. “It’s about going out there and giving it all he’s got, being proud of what he’s done, and looking forward to the next level.”
Downs, a junior, was the Marauders No. 2 singles player last season, and Cougill, a sophomore, was the team’s No. 3. Both picked up key wins for the Marauders all season long.
The No. 2 doubles team of Jones and Orelup were county champions and picked up the decisive point over Greenfield-Central in the sectional championship, and the No. 1 doubles team of Wylie and Moore found their groove towards the end of last season and won their sectional championship match. Jones and Moore are the team’s other two seniors, along with Koon. Orelup is a junior, and Wylie enters his sophomore season.
While all of them are back, the growth of other players in the Marauders program and some incoming freshmen have given McMullen some options in his first year as head coach.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if we run the same lineup at the beginning of the season as we figure things out, but we had a lot of kids go to work this offseason and improve tremendously, and that’s what you love to see as a coach,” McMullen said.
Freshmen Owen Daugherty, Tyler Ralstin, and Luke Guerre have come in and proven right away that they can play at the varsity level. And sophomores Gavin Weaver, Carter Harrington, and junior Ethan Erdos are much improved from last season, according to McMullen.
All will be fighting for starting spots all season, and the Mt. Vernon lineup could change from match to match.
“I’d be surprised if we keep the same seven guys in the same spots all year long. If we do that, then I’m not doing my job as a coach and helping them grow and get better,” McMullen said. “Hopefully by next Tuesday night I have everything put together before Franklin Central.”
With every starter back, the emergence of other returners, and a slew of talented incoming freshmen, the Marauders hope to return to the regional and get over the HHC hump. Last year, they lost 3-2 to Delta for the conference title and lost 3-2 to Heritage Christian at the regional.
“It’s fuel. Every year you lose some matches that you don’t want to lose,” McMullen said. “It’s all about finding who works the best together and who’s going to give you the best results night in and night out. Can we put the guys out there that are going to play when the lights come on. Are they going to fight when the lights come on, or are they going to fold. We’ve seen it go both ways in the past. We’ve just got to get the team ready, put the best team out there, and hope for the best.”
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2023 Mt. Vernon Boys Tennis Schedule
Date;Opponent;Time
Aug. 16;at Franklin Central;5:30 p.m.
Aug. 18;vs. Floyd Central;4:30 p.m.
Aug. 19;at Center Grove;8 a.m.
Aug. 21;vs. Pendleton Heights;4:30 p.m.
Aug. 22;at Guerin Catholic;5 p.m.
Aug. 26;NHS Invitational (Noblesville East Middle School);9 a.m.
Aug. 28;at Centerville;5 p.m.
Aug. 31;vs. Yorktown;5:30 p.m.
Sept. 5;vs. Greenfield-Central;5:30 p.m.
Sept. 6;vs. Lawrence North;4:30 p.m.
Sept. 7; vs. Shelbyville;5 p.m.
Sept. 9; Hancock County Tournament (New Palestine);9 a.m.
Sept. 12;at Bishop Chatard;4:30 p.m.
Sept. 13;at Warren Central;4:30 p.m.
Sept. 14;at New Castle;5 p.m.
Sept. 20;at New Palestine;4:30 p.m.
Sept. 23;at West Lafayette;10 a.m.
Sept. 25;at Delta;4:30 p.m.
