The Neosho High School boys tennis team returns seven players from last season’s squad that finished 0-13 overall and 0-9 in Central Ozark Conference competition.
Neosho won only 10 matches in their 13 duals last season and the Wildcats’ season ended on a 5-0 loss to West Plains in the Class 2 District 6 tournament.
The Wildcats’ returning players are Christian Williams, Peyton Williams, Noah Schade, Wes Williams, Omar Lemus, Wes McKay and Aidan Long.
“We would like to pick up some victories,” Neosho coach Nick Hays said. “For this season, we have a lot of depth and experience. We did not graduate many players, so hopefully this will help in our efforts this year. I believe if we play with some confidence, then that should help us build our skills to have some more success this season.
“We have added some good, new players that will be contributing on varsity. This will be exciting to see if this will lead to some out of conference victories and some in conference as well.”
Hays said the new varsity contributors this season will be senior Willis Jarvis, junior Breckin McAffrey and junior Reid Snyder. Jarvis and Snyder are slated for the No. 2 and No. 3 spots in the lineup.
The Wildcats will build around one of their three Williams on the team.
“Christian Williams was our No. 1 last year and is again this year,” Hays said. “He has done a great job with helping other players get better in the offseason and being a role model during the season in terms of effort and attitude.”
Neosho opens the season March 27 against Parkview and Hillcrest, and the Wildcats’ schedule features away duals against Monett (March 28), Thomas Jefferson (April 10), Carl Junction (April 11), Willard (April 13), Carthage (April 25), and Republic (April 27) and home against Mount Vernon (March 30), Joplin (April 4), Ozark (April 6), Aurora (April 17), Nixa (April 18), Branson (April 20), and Webb City (May 2).
The Wildcats also have the Republic Invitational (April 28) and they are the host school for the conference tournament played May 3 at the Joplin Athletic Complex.
