A year ago, Anthony Wayne coach Jerry Reed celebrated the end of the Northern Lakes League tennis season on a high note by clinching the league championship for the first time in school history.
Reed, who established the boys tennis team at AW in 1969, is hoping the Generals can repeat the feat.
"I'm fairly confident but it's going to be interesting to see what happens," Reed said.
AW, which returned four starters from last year's team, will host the NLL tournament today (9 a.m.) and tomorrow (3:30 p.m.).
The Generals, led by No. 1 singles player Kyle Doyle, finished the regular season tied for first place in the NLL with Southview after falling 3-2 to the Cougars yesterday.
Doyle, who didn't lose a match in league play this season, remains optimistic about the Generals' chances to win another league title.
"I think we'll bounce back [from the loss to Southview]," said Doyle, a senior. "Winning league would be huge. All we've wanted is a league championship and we [seniors] want to go out winning the league championship."
Doyle, along with Morgan Lewis, Andrew Hohl and Matt Kuck, represent AW's senior class and team leaders. Doyle returned as the NLL's defending champ at No. 1 singles. Lewis plays No. 2 singles while Hohl and Kuck make up AW's No. 1 doubles team after winning the NLL's No. 2 doubles title last season.
As they go, so goes AW, according to Reed.
"I feel really confident about my first singles and second singles and first doubles team," Reed said. "I think for us to repeat, some of the other guys will have to get a third or fourth place."
The NLL championship is determined by a combination of league wins during the regular season and points gained during the league tournament.
Northview, the three-time league champion prior to AW's triumph last season, Southview and Perrysburg represent potential road blocks to the Generals.
Perrysburg coach Al Rava, who has leaned on singles players Andy Gunkler and Jaenes Lakner for leadership this spring, credits AW for not becoming complacent after winning last season.
"It's going to be pretty interesting," Rava said. "[The Generals] have very good singles players and a good doubles team."
Besides the league loss to Southview, the Generals' only other losses have come against traditional powerhouse St. John's Jesuit and a strong Findlay team.
Doyle and Lewis have been nearly untouchable this season. Doyle went undefeated in league play while Lewis suffered defeat only once during league play.
Hohl and Kuck did not lose in league play.
Nicholas Anthony (No. 3 singles) and Jake Sylvester and Austin Nofzinger (No. 2 doubles) have made steady strides in their first year as regulars.
"It'll definitely be really tough again," Doyle said, looking ahead to the NLL tournament. "It's definitely going to come down to the wire again like last year, and hopefully it'll work out for us."
"They've all worked their butts off," Reed said of his team's season and offseason work ethic.
Contact Donald Emmons at:
demmons@theblade.com
or 419-724-6302.
First Published May 3, 2007, 9:33 a.m.