The fall season is in full swing for the Jesuit Dallas tennis team.
And even though the Rangers don’t compete in the postseason for team tennis during the fall due to the lack of a girls team, the time serves as a preview for what Jesuit will be up against during individual competition when spring rolls around.
Thus far, Jesuit has opened with a 3-1 mark in District 7-6A competition, including picking up a hard-fought win Sept. 8 over Prosper, 11-10.
Previously, Jesuit suffered its only lost against Prosper Walnut Grove (15-5) with wins coming against McKinney Boyd (10-7) and Princeton (12-0).
“It’s a very tough district we’re in, but the guys have been playing really well,” said Mallory Van Decar, Jesuit head coach.
Van Decar noted that despite a lack of playoff competition, the fall will be critical in determining Jesuit’s lineups in the spring as well as gaining much-needed experience for the high number of newcomers the Rangers have welcomed to the roster.
Jesuit’s only returners are junior Van Davidson, who advanced to the state tournament in singles last spring, junior Augustus Chu and senior Mark Scucchi.
Last spring, Chu was on the top boys doubles team while Scucchi slotted in behind Davidson in singles.
“We have a lot of new faces in the top six,” Van Decar said. “And we’re still kind of moving some things around and solidifying things with our doubles teams.”
One of the biggest questions comes with freshmen Herris Benyo and Marin Voegtle.
“They’ve played very well and are looking like a very promising team, but we could also use them at singles possibly so we’ll just have to see,” Van Decar said.
Van Decar added that Jesuit has another pair of talented freshmen that were not eligible to compete in the fall.
Sophomore Reid McCord, meanwhile, earned a win in singles against Prosper (6-2, 6-0) as well as a win in doubles with junior Xavier Horler (3-6, 6-0, 1-0).
Other victors against the Eagles were Davidson (6-1, 6-1) and Scucchi (6-3, ret.) in boys singles, and Davidson and Chu (6-2, 6-4), Benyo and Voegtle (6-4, 6-7, 1-0) and Scucchi and junior Charlie Kennington (6-3, 6-4) in boys doubles.
“The Prosper match was the best tennis we’ve played all year,” Van Decar said.
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