MHS boys tennis ends season with great success

By: Akhil Kumar LO’T Sports Editor

The Moline Boys Tennis Team has had an outstanding season with a series of impressive victories. Their first dual on April 7th against Rockford Auburn resulted in a 7-5 victory, and they continued their winning streak on April 11th against Alleman Catholic, securing a 7-2 win.

The team then faced Davenport Central on April 24th, once again dominating with a 9-0 victory. In their conference match against Rock Island on April 26th, Moline continued their winning streak with another flawless 9-0 win.

The team celebrated their senior night on May 2nd, where they honored the seniors Deepak Badri, Zach Bitner, Ezra Pottebaum, Ishank Pujari, and Maner Soe. The seniors were introduced and had their favorite tennis memories and shared theirplans after highschool. Following the celebration,

Moline went on to sweep United Township, with the senior players being prominently recognized on the courts.

The Moline Boys had an exceptional performance at the home court invite on Saturday May 6th. Senior Deepak Badri claimed first place in number one singles, while junior Jeffery Stroup secured third place in number two singles.

Badri reflects on his first place finish by saying “This season, I tried to just forget about the expectations and play my best. I think that is what allowed me to win the Moline Invite because even though I was down, I had the mindset of never giving up.”

Additionally, Moline’s sophomore Akhil Kumar and senior Ishank Pujari achieved a close second place in doubles, losing to Geneseo in the championship match 6-3, 6-2. Junior players Jathin Kollarapu and Ankit Rajavanshi, maintained the team’s success, finishing third overall in their doubles bracket.

On Friday, May 12th and Saturday, May 13th the Moline Boys competed in the WB6 conference tournament held in Galesburg. Due to the rainy weather on Friday, the matches were moved inside. Unfortunately, the doubles team of Akhil Kumar and Ishank Pujari experienced a loss in the first round against Quincy’s Knapp and Stark, losing 6-3, 6-4.

On a brighter note, the doubles team of Ankit Rajvanshi and Jathin Kollarapu performed well, defeating Sterling and United Township to secure a spot in the semifinals. However, they were unable to advance further, as they lost to Geneseo’s Slaymaker and Mosbarger in the semifinals.

In the singles category, Moline’s Jeffrey Stroup faced defeat in the first round against Quincy’s singles player William Hanlin. On the other hand, Senior Deepak Badri won against United

Township’s number two singles player and Geneseo’s Vergane, earning a place in the semifinals.

Unfortunately, Badri fell short in the semifinals against Sterling’s number one player, Brecken Peterson. Overall, Badri finished fourth in the singles draw after losing to Lucien Tarnow of Rock Island with a score of 6-4, 6-1 in a third place match.

In the WB6 conference, the Moline Boys tennis team secured a third-place finish. Quincy claimed the second-place position, while Geneseo emerged as the conference champions for the second consecutive year.

On Friday May 19th and Saturday May 20th, the Moline Boys tennis team will have the opportunity to showcase their skills as they compete in the sectionals tournament on their home courts. They are eagerly looking forward to the event, aiming to perform their best and send as many players as possible to state.

We give our best wishes to the boys tennis team as they participate in the sectionals, and we also congratulate them on their outstanding season. Their hardwork and dedication have been seen throughout the season, and we hope they continue to showcase their talent at the upcoming tournament. Good luck to the Moline Boys Tennis team!