The Knightly News

On April 25, the boys’ tennis team won three out of five brackets of the Mercer County Tournament, placing first in a singles tournament and first in two doubles tournaments.  With the Knights suffering only six losses with a total score of 14-6, the boys are on their way to a strong finish.

Junior Kristian Dudchak felt that competing in the MCT was a positive experience, given that the team has not sent finalists to the MCT since 2009.  “We technically beat South for the first time in years since three out of five positions from our team won,”  Dudchak said.  Although I didn’t make it to the finals, it was a good experience for me since I’m only a junior, and I still have senior year ahead of me.”

What has changed for the team is its mental endurance,rather than its physical endurance.  “Honestly, our mental game improved.  We still have the same skill set, but our confidence and abilities in difficult situations have gotten a lot better, and that’s what will matter in the big matches,” senior captain Lev Gedrich said.

The team’s decisive performances at the county championships will push it further ahead in the season.  Albert Paulsson, the tennis coach, takes pride in how far his team has come:  “The team has shown significant improvement over the course of the season,” he said.  “High School North’s second-place finish at the Mercer County Tournament was a great accomplishment.”