Friday Conversation | Bucyrus tennis looking to build on success
Bucyrus girls tennis facing some stiff competition this fall.
BUCYRUS – The fall isn’t just for football and volleyball anymore.
With newly refurbished courts, the Bucyrus girls tennis team is ready to show Crawford County what tennis is all about. With an offseason roster approaching 12 deep, Bucyrus coach John Supon pulls out his sunglasses when looking at the future of Bucyrus tennis.
“On paper our future looks very bright,” Supon said. “Our facility has been refurbished with new nets and surfaces on the courts. Our number are also looking very good for this year. We have a great distribution from freshmen to seniors.”
Seniors Loarel Mollenkopf, Celina Kelley and Cassi Hinkle head the veteran group ready to lead the younger players and teach them the ways of tennis and set the expectations. Mollenkopf was a doubles player last season with Ashton Hawkins and the pair had a very successful year.
Friday Conversation | Redmen seeing bright future
But this season, Mollenkopf will split time between doubles and singles and could challenge for the No. 1 singles slot on the team.
“We did really well last year, so we just need to follow that up,” Mollenkopf said. “It is going to be tough because we lost a lot of good seniors. We just have to put that behind us and work harder on the courts. I think when I play doubles, I will play with Alivia Lewis. But I think I will float back and forth from singles to doubles.”
With Mollenkopf, Kelley and Hinkle setting the expectations, Supon has noticed a pleasant surprise from the offseason workouts.
“Our offseason program has been well attended,” Supon added. “The attendance is the best since I started coaching here. Right now, everything looks great.”
In addition to the trio of seniors, a pair of sophomores return sporting a varsity letter as freshmen. Alivia Lewis and Sarah Lipscomb headline the young talent as the next generation of Bucyrus tennis greats.
“Right now, I have five very solid players, but we are still looking for that No. 1 player,” Supon said. “We will see some great battles in practice to see who we name our No. 1 singles. But the versatility of this team is great. They are all very interchangeable from singles to doubles.”
Supon has worked with Athletics Director Rick Rawson to set a very tough schedule that includes a season opener against Tiffin Columbian, a match with Sandusky Perkins that brings the No. 1 girls tennis player in the state in Olivia Rohrbacher and a jump from six to eight teams for the annual Sam Sabback Invitational.
Sam Sabback impressed with Hawkins, Mollenkopf
Admitting he wants to put his team against some great competition in order to show his players what can happen with hard work, Supon knows he has a team that can compete with the best of them. He has been reassured of that this summer.
“This team is very coachable,” Supon said. “We have used our summer to slow things down and get back to fundamentals. The young girls who have never played before are really coming in and paying attention and taking coaching very well.”
As for Mollenkopf, she welcomes the challenge.
“I would rather play defensively than offensively, so it is going to be a lot of fun playing against some very good competition,” Mollenkopf added.
Kelley also will be a main contributor for the Redmen this fall and has been working on bringing a positive mental attitude to each practice in hopes it will transfer to the courts.
Friday Conversation | Redmen gelling this summer
“I am working hard to not get mad at myself, play hard and don’t let anything discourage me,” Kelley said. “But I want success for our team, mainly. Coach knows we can be a good team, so I think he is going to have high expectations of us.”
The Redmen kick off the season at 10 a.m. Aug. 12 at home against Tiffin Columbian.
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Bucyrus girls tennis schedule
8/12 Tiffin City Schools 10 a.m
8/15 Madison 4:15 p.m
8/16 at Mansfield Senior 4:30 p.m.
8/17 at Crestline 4:15 p.m.
8/22 St. Peter's 4:15 p.m.
8/23 Clear Fork 4:15 p.m.
8/25 at Fostoria 4:30 p.m.
8/27 at Willard Doubles Invitational 9 a.m.
8/29 at Willard 4:15 p.m.
8/31 Perkins 4:15 p.m.
9/1 at River Valley 4:15 p.m.
9/3 at RV Tennis Invitational 9 a.m.
9/7 Crestline 4:15 p.m.
9/8 Shelby 4:15 p.m.
9/10 Sam Sabback Invitational 10 a.m.
9/12 at Madison 4:15 p.m.
9/13 at Ontario 4:30 p.m.
9/15 at Upper Sandusky 4:15 p.m.
9/19 at St. Peter's 4:30 p.m.
9/20 Galion 4:15 p.m.
9/26 Mansfield Senior 4:15 p.m.
9/29 Upper Sandusky 4:15 p.m.
10/4 at Galion 4:15 p.m.