Although they lost their top three players to graduation last season, the boys’ tennis team is still shooting for the top prize of state champion this upcoming season. The team seeks their fifth straight title in five years, and their 25th in the team’s history.

The team is led by captains Michael Czlonka, Nick Calzolano, and Joe Gurevicius, and consists of 20 members, who occasionally compete in practice for a spot to play in a match. To start the season, the team will be traveling to Chattanooga to compete against some of the top teams in the country. The team placed 3rd in the tournament last year, and this is the first year going into the tournament unranked. This can only be fuel for a better finish for the team.

At Chattanooga, the team has a strategy for success.

“We aim to focus on succeeding in doubles, since we believe we can excel in that area,” Czlonka said.

If the team is able to execute this strategy, they will likely find success in Chattanooga.

Despite the heavy personnel losses, this years’ seniors are ready for the challenge of leading the team to a state championship. Calzolano believes that being around such great players last year will help with leadership for this year.

“Players like Martin [Joyce], Eddie [Grabill], and Lope [Adelekaun] taught us seniors how to lead a team last year,” Calzolano said. “We know what it takes to win a state championship and we are striving towards that goal.”