Dingman named team captain
By Dan Truttschel
Correspondent
There are plenty of new faces playing tennis in the East Troy High School girls program this fall.
And while that youth usually comes with growing pains, there’s also plenty of optimism of what’s to come.
East Troy’s roster includes 14 of its top 20 players from the freshman and sophomore class, according to head coach Dave Lindow, who enters his 22nd season at the helm.
“Our outlook for this season is a bit of a new beginning,” Lindow said. “We have a very young team, and I’m looking forward to see how we grow during the season.
“I have great kids, and they work really hard. (It’s) one of the best young groups I’ve had.”
Lindow added the core from the ninth- and 10th-graders brings plenty of talent to the table.
“I’m very much looking forward to coaching this group,” he said. “(This is) one of the best freshman classes to enter (school), and last year, we had three very good freshmen (now sophomores) to add to them.
“We add a few upperclassmen to this, and our future looks bright.”
East Troy, which has had 21 straight winning dual meet seasons, enters 2015 after it saw a 17-year run of having a state qualifier end last season.
Lindow said the Trojans were the only public school program since 2000, when private schools were added to Division 2, to advance at least one qualifier.
That said, the season goals haven’t changed.
“Our goals are the same every year,” he said. “Be on time. Compete. Be a good teammate. Our team goal is always to win conference, then try to advance someone to the state tournament.”
Getting those goals accomplished no doubt will take work, but Lindow is confident in his young charges.
“The keys to our success will be to play with intensity and confidence,” he said. “We are looking at most of these kids on the team being in our program for two, three and four years.”
Dingman leads the way
Senior Vanessa Dingman is the team’s captain and fills that role perfectly, Lindow said.
“She does everything I ask as a captain, and all the kids look up to her,” he said. “I love her leadership.”
Dingman will play No. 2 singles, Lindow said. She is joined in the singles lineup by junior Lora Leach at No. 1, sophomore Victoria Pott at No. 3 and sophomore Anna Stephan at No. 4.
The doubles lineup includes senior Hunter Scheel and junior Claudia Pott at No. 1, sophomore Alison Barth and freshman Mackenzie Lindow at No. 2 and freshmen Erin Rice and Mikayla Lamping at No. 3.
Looking at the Rock Valley Conference, Lindow said he expects McFarland to be the favorite, along with Big Foot, Whitewater and Jefferson.
“Everyone else will look to see if they can catch (McFarland),” he said. “(Big Foot, Whitewater and Jefferson) have great programs and are strong once again.”
East Troy opened its season last Saturday with a first-place finish in its own quadrangular.
The Trojans defeated Milwaukee King 7-0, Columbus 4-3 and Martin Luther 2-0. The match with Luther was suspended before it could be completed.
Winning titles were Leach at No. 1 singles and all three doubles teams.
“I thought our doubles were outstanding for being so young,” Lindow said. “They have listened well and are playing the way I would like them to play.
“Singles battled hard. It’s tough to play in 90-plus-degree heat hitting so many balls. The kids did great and did not let it affect them.”
