Young squad opens season with back-to-back wins
By Dan Truttschel
Correspondent
It may take East Troy boys tennis coaches Dave Lindow and Paul Kielas a little bit this spring to get to know most of the 2019 squad.
There’s been just a bit of turnover.
East Troy returns six players this spring, but will feature a varsity roster full of newcomers as the Trojans again look to contend in the Rock Valley Conference.
“This is the least experienced team we have had in the last decade,” Lindow said. “I’m excited to work with this group, as they are very athletic and willing to work hard and get better. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate, and we will get some quality practice time.”
East Troy finished second in the RVC last year, won the subsectional and was a sectional runner-up. In 2017, the Trojans won the conference title en route to subsectional and sectional titles and a berth in the WIAA State Team Tournament.
The weather in Wisconsin this time of the year is always the great unknown, and this season so far hasn’t been any different, Lindow said.
“Weather has been challenging trying to put our team together,” he said. “We are still piecing it together and trying to figure out who will play singles and who will play doubles.”
Returning to the Trojans this year are seniors Paul Friemoth and Charles Vogel and juniors Mac Dudkiewicz, Sam Jurgilanis, Griffin Gerber and Conner Knudsen.
Key newcomers to the varsity are seniors Josh Marshman and Nick Schwall; junior Zack Burke; sophomore Ryan Knudsen; and freshmen Connor Paullin and Dayne Lindow.
East Troy started its season with two dual meet victories, a 4-3 RVC win over Edgerton on April 9, and a 6-1 conference win over Delavan-Darien on Monday afternoon.
Those wins certainly gave the Trojans a good foundation moving forward, Lindow said.
“I’m excited to practice with this team and see how far we can get,” he said. “They are a great bunch of guys to coach and be around, and we will have a great season.”
Winning matches Monday were Lindow at No. 1 singles, 6-1, 6-0 over Raymond Wang; Knudsen at No. 2, 6-4, 6-4 over Jordy Perez; Paullin at No. 3, 3-6, 6-0, (10-6) over Zach Barker; Friemoth at No. 4, 6-0, 6-2 over Wyatt LeBow; Dudkiewicz-Marshman at No. 2 doubles, 7-6 (7), 6-2 over Jimmy Prado-Adiel Perez; and Schwall-Burke at No. 3, 6-1, 6-1 over Leroy Gloria-Emiliolo Aranda.
The Trojans’ No. 1 doubles duo of Jurgilanis-Gerber fell, 2-6, 2-6 to Reese Crull-Isaac Garcia.
Picking up wins in the season opener were Lindow at No. 1 singles, 6-0, 6-0; Jurgilanis at No. 2, 6-1, 6-3; Vogel at No. 3, by forfeit; and Schwall-Burke at No. 3 doubles, 6-2, 6-2.
East Troy is back in action Monday when it hosts Whitewater at 4:15 p.m.
