Mt. Vernon’s Adam Koon returns a serve from Greenfield-Central No.1 singles player Matt Hyre during the first round of the sectional on Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021.
Tom Russo | Daily Reporter
FORTVILLE – It’s a rarity to have this much youth and still have a lot of experience.
Mt. Vernon’s boys tennis team has both. To top it off, they are familiar with winning, too.
Coach Gabe Muterspaugh’s crew went 12-9 last year with a lineup of kids wet behind the ears when it came to high school varsity tennis.
Still with no seniors anticipated to be in the lineup, the victories are expected to come more often in 2022.
“We’ve got three solid singles guys and don’t have a senior in the lineup,” Muterspaugh said. “We have three juniors, two sophomores and two freshmen. Our best thing right now is our middle school program is getting us guys coming in ready to play.
“It’s not just a level to get us by. It’s a level where these guys are going to help us win. We’re pretty excited.”
Leading the lineup is junior Adam Koon. He returns at the No. 1 singles position.
It’s been a quick rise for the team’s top talent. Koon was the No. 6 junior varsity player as a freshman. As a first-year varsity player, he finished 17-7 and earned All-Hoosier Heritage Conference and all-state honorable mention recognition.
Even more is expected this season.
“I’ve never had a kid work harder,” Muterspaugh said. “I think he’s going to take a bigger jump this year. He’s got a legit chance to become first- or second-team all-state. He’s that 1-percenter and the guy that plays six-seven days a week. He eats, sleeps and breaths it. He’s going to be an automatic point for us most nights and knows and expects that.”
At No. 2, the Marauders will have Manny Downs. Only a sophomore, Downs had that spot as a freshman, too.
“He’s gotten stronger and plays year-round, also,” Muterspaugh said. “He’s part of our three-headed monster (in singles).”
Big-serving junior Robbie Moore is back at the No. 3 spot.
“He wants to blast you off the court,” Muterspaugh said. “We don’t think most guys, at No. 3, can handle that.”
Junior Matthew Jones, another varsity veteran, is expected to be at No. 1 doubles. His partner, as well as the No. 2 doubles team, will come from a group that includes sophomores Max Orelup and Eli Muterspaugh – the coach’s nephew – and freshmen Bryndan Wylie, Tate Cougill and Carter Harrington.
“It may be a process all year for us trying to find the best doubles (teams),” the coach added. “We have one that played varsity doubles and the rest haven’t. Doubles will be a growth spot for us.”
Though a winning record a year ago, coach Muterspaugh called the record “unacceptable.”
He believes the group has the talent to get the program to a much higher level. Along with striving to win Hancock County and sectional titles, there are other loftier achievements in reach.
“We’re talking about the county, the sectional and we’d like to compete to win the conference this year. We want to get after Delta. We’re ready to win a regional,” he added. “Whether it is this year or next year, we’re building every day towards that. It’s the hardest regional in the state, but this is a group that can do it.”
Mt. Vernon opens the season Monday with a home match against Shenandoah. The first HHC match is Aug. 22 a Pendleton Heights. They will also play in a couple of invitationals including an Aug. 20 event at Center Grove and a Sept. 3 competition at Richmond.
The Marauders play Delta in the final regular-season match of the year, Sept. 26, at home.
