Felicity-Franklin junior Devon Denune is undefeated in first singles this season and won the Western Brown Tom Ball Classic this past weekend.

Felicity-Franklin junior Devon Denune is undefeated in first singles this season and won the Western Brown Tom Ball Classic this past weekend. (Photo by Ralph Adams)
By Chris Chaney
Sun staff

A trying season thus far for head coach Ralph Adams has seen his team overcome adversity and a dearth of numbers at times to contend for Felicity-Franklin’s second boys tennis title in four years.

“It’s been a good news/bad news situation, but I really shouldn’t be complaining at 7-2,” Adams said. “We’re in a spot where we could win the National Division championship, but it’s probably been my most frustrating year here and I’ve coached tennis here for 25 years.

“We have a lot of talent in the school, but we can’t get them to play tennis. If they do play tennis, they quit or they don’t come to school or won’t come to practice.”

The uncertainty in numbers has caused the Cardinals to go into some key matchups with empty courts, giving up free points to opponents and putting added pressure on the courts that are occupied.

One guy that Adams can depend on each match is the defending Co-Player of the Year in the National Division, junior Devon Denune. The Cardinals’ first singles player has tallied records of 14-3 and 18-4 in his first two years at Felicity.

“He’s gotten so much better (during his time at Felicity) and really, all the credit goes to him and his dad,” Adams said. “He’s kind of the classic example of a high school boy or girl who wants to put the time in during the offseason.

“When he started off, he was fairly good for a freshman, but at the same time there’s a night and day difference now. He continues to grow every year and it’s going to be amazing to see what he’s able to do next year in his senior year.

“Of course, he’s a junior now and he’s undefeated so far.”

Denune continued his strong play this past weekend at the Western Brown Tom Ball Invitational showing why he was the No. 1 overall seed with a 6-3, 7-6 win in the finals over Angus Matthews of New Richmond.

While the individual success of Denune has been nice, the Cardinals have racked up their impressive record thanks to a team effort.

Austin May and Dylan Foster are a pair of seniors who Adams has had the luxury of moving from singles to doubles and vice versa over the course of the season.

“I’ve had to move them around a little bit,” Adams said. “On a depth chart, they are my No. 2 and 3. It’s hard to say whose (better) because they go back and forth.

“Austin has been play No. 2 for the most part and Dylan’s been playing some doubles with different partners.”

Senior Chris Whitt, a Second Team All-Star last year, has also contributed consistently when illness and injury haven’t intervened.

Junior Travis Waters is another player Adams said he could count on and called Waters the team’s most improved player. He bounces between third singles and doubles.

Freshman Jared Boeckman has been a body for Felicity, Adams said, and he’s taking his lumps in his first year, but the coach can count on him to do his best.

With the regular season scheduled to wrap up next Thursday, May 7 at Amelia, the Cardinals are beginning to consider what lineup they want to run out at the ATP Tennis Center on May 14.

“A lot of the (sectional) comes down to the luck of the draw,” Adams said of the bracket to be determined on May 3 at the Division II draw. “I think if I put May and Foster together, they have a chance (to advance).

“(For Denune), with some of the suburban schools, it’s a whole different ball game. There’s some good players (in the sectional) and only four get out. He’s going to have to play well to be one of them.”