With a roster consisting of more than 50% freshman, there’s bound to be some 2021 growing pains on a team-wide basis for the Northfield boys tennis squad.
Leading the Raiders are a quartet of seniors with varsity experience in Ryan Will, Grant Bouvin, Pascal Cogan and Isaac Guggisberg, while junior Oden Hoff has also accrued a number of varsity singles matches thus far.
Mostly, however, the Raiders will feature a number of players making their varsity, and sometimes high school tennis debuts.
“I want them to learn as much as they can, have a good time, respect their opponents and enjoy the sport for what it is,” Northfield coach Marty Johnson said. “It’s a lifelong sport and part of their overall well being and enjoyment of what this will have to offer.”
Some of those younger or more inexperienced players stepping into varsity include junior Tate Sand, who’s played at the junior varsity level, and freshmen Felix Hanifl, Blake Simon and Joseph Grant, all of whom Johnson and assistant coach Mark Welinski have coached at Northfield tennis summer camps in the past.
Also out for tennis for the first time this year is sophomore Soren Richardson, who while lacking in formal competitive experience joins a Northfield roster that’s growing with multi-sport athletes.
“That’s a strong point, the athleticism that we do have with the kids that came out,” Johnson said.
For the most part, Johnson said the goal this season is the further the growth and skill level of each player on the roster, and keep the younger players coming back out for the team in future years.
“We’ve had great practices and we’ve been fortunate with this great weather,” Johnson said. “If the season stays just like this, even though we know we’re going to have a lot of rain, it will be a great season.”
ROSTER
Grant Bouvin, senior
Pascal Cogan, senior
Isaac Guggisberg, senior
Ryan Will, senior
Anthony Amys Roe, junior
Oden Hoff, junior
Dade Holland, junior
Tate Sand, junior
Soren Richardson, sophomore
Leo Beckman, freshman
Urban Beckman, freshman
Sebastian Brunelle, freshman
Joseph Grant, freshman
Felix Hanifl, freshman
Jackson Hessian, freshman
Errol Lenzen, freshman
Quinn Lovick, freshman
Reuben Menk, freshman
Charles Rice, freshman
Henry Shuffleton, freshman
Blake Simon, freshman
Owen Vander Martin, freshman
2021 SCHEDULE
April 10 — at Lakeville North, Minneapolis Southwest, 9 a.m.
April 13 — at Farmington, 4 p.m.
April 15 — vs. Austin, 4:30 p.m.
April 17 — at Albert Lea, Richester Mayo, 9 a.m.
April 20 — at Mankato East, 4:30 p.m.
April 22 — vs. Mankato West, 4:30 p.m.
April 27 — at Owatonna, 4:30 p.m.
May 8 — vs. Faribault, Rochester Century, 9 a.m.
May 11 — at Red Wing, 4:30 p.m.
May 13 — vs. Rochester John Marshall, 4:30 p.m.
May 18 — at Winona, 4:30 p.m.
May 22 — Big 9 Conference tournament, 9 a.m., Rochester Tennis Center