Coach Dahl Previews Tennis Season

The MHS tennis team starts it’s 2018 season led by Nathan Loutsch, Keaton Hagen, and Ethan Bohn – all juniors. All three have varsity experience from last season, and Ethan and Nathan competed in the 2017 state tournament.

“Sophomore Marcos Basilio played at No. 4 singles and No. 2 doubles last season,” Coach Jim Dahl said. “And we hope to have him in those positions again. Freshman Aiden Boerger and eighth-graders Bennet Street and Keegan Wheeler will be competing for the last two varsity spots. We are also pleased to have newcomer, Isaac Perez, a seventh-grader. He is learning every day and improving to ready himself for our first match at Watertown, on April 10.

“High school tennis has one class where there are about 16 AA-size schools and eight A-size schools,” Dahl explained. He predicts, “We will be competitive with some of the other A-sized schools near us such as YME, Benson, LQPV/Dawson/Boyd, and Pipestone – all from Minnesota. Also with Vermillion, Spearfish, Brookings, RCC, Huron, and Pierre of South Dakota.”

Dahl says, “Sioux Falls Lincoln has won three or four state titles in a row and will be a major obstacle when we play them here later this season. Watertown, Aberdeen Central, and Roncalli, are strong teams from our local area.” Roncalli and Milbank are the only two schools in the NEC with tennis teams.

Dahl went on to say he will be working without an assistant coach this season. He stressed, “Our expectations as a whole are to learn the game well and then execute to compete at our best. I like the attitude of our players and their willingness to come out and battle against the many class AA teams we play.”

MILBANK BOYS TENNIS MATCH SCHEDULE 2018

APRIL 10          AT  WATERTOWN                           4:00 pm        JV-VAR

APRIL 16          HOME – BENSON, MN                    4:00 pm        JV-VAR

 ARPIL 17         AT PIPESTONE,MN                         4:00 pm         JV-VAR

APRIL 19          HOME – BR.VALL./S.F.L.              10:00 am        JV-VAR

APRIL 23          HOME VS LQPV,MN                       4:30 pm        JV-VAR

APRIL 25         AT ABERDEEN RONCALLI             1:30 pm         JV-VAR

APRIL 25         AT ABERDEEN CENTRAL              4:00 pm          JV- VAR

APRIL 27        AT BROOKINGS INVITE                 10:00 am       JV- VAR

APRIL 30        HOME – ABER.CENTRAL                4:00 pm         JV-VAR

MAY 4             AT  YME,MN                                         4:30 pm          JV-VAR

MAY 7             HOME – RONCALLI                           1:00 pm          JV-VAR

MAY 7             HOME- LENNOX                                 4:00 pm         JV- VAR

MAY 8             AT HURON                                             1:00 pm         JV-VAR

MAY 8             AT HURON VS PIERRE                       3:30 pm         JV-VAR

MAY 10           AT  SF CHRISTIAN                                4:00 pm        JV-VAR

MAY 12          AT MADISON INVITE                            9:00 am        JV- VAR

MAY 17-19    AT SIOUX FALLS,B.VALL.                        TBD             VAR ONLY

Pictured: (back row) Aiden Boerger, Ethan Bohn, Nathan Loutsch, Bennet Street (front row) Isaac Perez, Keegan Wheeler, Marcos Basilio, not pictured Keaton Hagen