FORTVILLE — The Mt. Vernon Marauders cemented their place in boys tennis history last fall, but past accomplishments have zero bearing on the present.
Not in these unprecedented times.
If the COVID-19 pandemic sports shutdown this past spring taught the Marauders anything, it’s gratitude. And, with high school tennis back on track for 2020, Mt. Vernon head coach Gabe Muterspaugh’s senior-laden group isn’t taking anything for granted.
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“I don’t think we need to worry about senioritis or anything like that because they haven’t been on the courts in a long time,” said Muterspaugh, who is entering his 25th season.
“When we got back (last month) we compared it to ‘Field of Dreams.’ Every day we could come out, we’d say, ‘Hey, is this heaven?’ Well, to us, right now, it is. You don’t know what you got until it’s gone, and this is so important to these guys.”
No more so than when the Marauders consider what is possible this season.
After setting a school record for wins in a single-season at 18-3 a year ago, while also ending rival New Palestine’s longstanding stranglehold on both the sectional and Hancock County team championships, the Marauders’ top priority is leaving a legacy.
“They’ve already made their mark on Mt. Vernon tennis in a huge way, but a repeat run would really put them on that wall of fame, and I don’t think they are shying away from that type of pressure,” Muterspaugh said.
The Marauders already showcased their composure and determination in 2019 after claiming the program’s first sectional title in eight years and first-ever county championship.
Now, it’s about taking that mindset further, and the 24-man high school roster is all on the same page from the top down.
Mt. Vernon returns six of eight seniors with substantial varsity experience, four cornerstone starters and have three positions solidified from last season’s Hoosier Heritage Conference runner-up lineup.
“Having those number of seniors, it’s a different element of coaching this year because we’re fine-tuning versus starting from the very beginning,” Muterspaugh said. “We don’t have to focus on the basics. The one thing we’ve talked about since last year is we’re going for back-to-back. And, these guys are hungry.”
The Marauders will be fierce in singles play with 2019 All-HHC incoming seniors Haiden Rose and Chris Hays permanently inked into the team’s top-two spots.
“Chris and Haiden are going to be battling big time for that spot at No. 1. It’s a lot of fun because most nights they are seeing the best player that they’re going to see at practice,” Muterspaugh said.
Rose made the leap from No. 3 singles at the junior varsity level as a sophomore to No. 1 varsity singles last fall and never looked back.
“He really connected with our assistant coach, Graham McMullen, and we just saw a huge jump from him. He hits a heavy ball. He’s physically imposing. He’s a big cat, and he wrestled, too,” Muterspaugh said. “Chris has gotten bigger and stronger. He’s super athletic. Chris, if he’s at No. 1, we got a point most nights, and at No. 2, it should be automatic.”
Senior Joe Bowsher is projected to compete at No. 3 singles after seeing time at both varsity singles and doubles competition as a junior.
No. 1 doubles team will be manned by Mt. Vernon’s dynamic No. 2 doubles partners from 2019 in seniors Dallas Turner and Owen Koon. The tandem went 20-3 last season.
“About three or five matches in last year, we put them together, and they had a fantastic year at two doubles. They were an automatic point for us, and I don’t see them missing a beat,” Muterspaugh said. “I think they’ll be competing for all-conference, and I think they have a chance at honorable mention all-state from just the way they play and their chemistry.”
No. 2 doubles will be a mix-and-match scenario with the 6-foot-2 Bowsher potentially in the fray along with seniors Logan Leroy, Lucas Griego and Andrew Jones, who stands 6-4.
The Marauders only losses in 2019 came against HHC champion Delta, state-ranked Centerville and Hamilton Southeastern at the team regional tournament.
“This year, it’s all about just enjoying the ride. When you get something taken away from you, something you think is going to be there forever, you appreciate it more, and for these guys, it’s their last go-around,” Muterspaugh said. “So, it’s enjoy the ride, bring it every day and until someone says we can’t go out there, we’re going to make the most of it.”
The Marauders are laying down the foundation for the future simultaneously.
The program recently had its tennis courts renovated and has its middle school feeder system up and running with 20 players coming out to compete at the youth level.
“We finally have middle school tennis as a real sport, so we’re hopefully going to be building that juggernaut. Just feed them in and let’s go,” Muterspaugh said.
“The cool part, too, is with some of these guys like Owen and Andrew, they have freshmen brothers who are now playing. That trickle-down effect of seeing what it takes every night makes an impact. We always talk about our family atmosphere, and I’m very excited about where the program is going.”
The Marauders open the season on Aug. 17 at home against Shenandoah followed by another home match versus Franklin Central on Aug. 19. Their first HHC match is on Aug. 24 against rival Pendleton Heights on the road.
