LAST YEAR: The Rockets struggled at times, but also had some really exciting moments. They posted a 4-9-2 overall record and finished in third place in the O-K Green conference standings. They finished in fourth place in regionals, which was their best finish at that level in the history of the program. Their best day came near the end of September, when the Rockets won the GMAA county tournament for the first time in program history, with champions in four of the eight flights.
BACK ON THE TEAM: The Rockets graduated heavily from last year’s very interesting team, but will have a few key players back this season. Tops on that list is senior Ethan Frang, who returns to the key No. 1 singles spot. He will probably be one of the better singles players in the area this year and could have a big season after experiencing a lot of physical and mental growth, according to his coach. Also back is senior Cory Judd, a versatile player who can perform well in singles or doubles, and is willing to do whatever the team needs. Senior Jackson Baldus is the best doubles player on the team, and could end up as part of a No. 1 doubles combination, although the lineup remains fluid heading into the season. Sophomore Henrik Ketner played a lot of tennis in the offseason and should be dramatically improved, wherever he ends up in the lineup.
LOTS OF NEW GUYS: Eight of the 12 players on the R-P roster are brand new to varsity tennis. Freshman Roman Ponce may be the most promising among the group. He is described as a “talented freshman who has incredibly natural instincts for the game” and could play a big role this season. Senior Landon VanderKooi is just coming out for the sport near the end of his high school career and is expected to make big improvements over the course of the season. The other new guys are senior Hunter Alviar and sophomores Brennan Dietz, Gabe Feirick, Jack Erickson, Cameron Mock and Zayden Zlotnicki.
CLASS BREAKDOWN OF ROSTER: The Rockets will have five seniors, six sophomores and one freshman.
FIRST COMPETITION: The Rockets will open the season at a multi-team event at Ludington on Wednesday.
COACH QUOTE: “Losing eight seniors from the most successful boys tennis team in R-P history will be a challenge. We may take our lumps in team scoring, but are excited to see how several very talented players continue to reach new heights within the R-P program and accomplish new firsts individually.” – Ryan Hankinson