Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
MENTONE -ÊAfter starting the season 3-3, the Tippecanoe Valley tennis team has not lost a match and finished the regular season 11-3, the best record in school history.
The Vikings surprised the competition by going undefeated in the Three Rivers Conference (5-0), and winning the team TRC title outright.
Valley has had only one other winning record in school history, and that was in 1987 when the team scraped out an 8-7 record.
"We've accomplished a lot this year," said Valley head coach Jack Shambaugh. "We knew some success last year. We lost seven of our matches 3-2 scores last year. We knew it would be close this year and hoped to turn those 3-2 scores in our favor. We've done that and more. Our girls have done an outstanding job this season."
Tippecanoe Valley has not lost a match since April 26 when the Vikings fell to Warsaw. Now, heading into sectional, the Valley squad will compete with Warsaw, Whitko, Wawasee and Manchester for the sectional title.
"Our sectional is probably the most even sectional in the state," said Shambaugh. "The teams are pretty even, and I believe anyone could advance."
Although the Vikings are on an upswing, Shambaugh says that Whitko will be the team to watch in the post-season. Whitko will face Wawasee tonight in Syracuse for the first round of the sectional.
"I think Whitko and Wawasee will be a good match to watch," said Shambaugh. "Whitko has really turned around this year. The have improved vastly since the season began."
But, as usual, the team to beat will be Warsaw. The Tigers have defeated each team in the sectional in the regular season.
"Warsaw is having a good year, and they will probably be the team to beat," said Shambaugh.
With the excitement of their successful season, how will the Vikings prepare for a sectional battle?
"We are trying to keep everything low key," said Shambaugh. "We know what to do to win. We just need to sieze the moment to be able to compete. As long as we don't tense up and keep our heads we will be fine."
Keeping their heads may be one of Valley's biggest challenges may be keeping calm considering the youth of the Viking squad. The only seniors who play for Valley are the No. 1 doubles team of Tiffany Cunningham and Erin Drudge. The rest of the team is made up of two sophomores and three juniors, so the Viking tennis team will be a force for seasons to come.
But the Vikings are not ready to file this season in the record books just yet.
"We are having a really good season, and we don't want it to end right now," said Shambaugh.
