New faces will be in big roles for the Joplin High School boys tennis team this spring.
The Eagles return just one starter from last year’s squad, junior Michael Mancipe.
Mancipe played No. 2 singles last season for the Eagles, who lost five of their top six performers to graduation.
“Michael Mancipe is our only returning player from the top-six ranked varsity team last year,” Joplin coach Aaron Stump said. “We have other experienced players returning who played primarily on junior varsity last year. Our team has a lot of new faces this year. We are completing challenge matches now to set our team rankings. The team is looking forward to the upcoming season. This will be the first time some of our guys have played with this level of competition.”
Stump noted that numerous players are competing for the varsity spots, with upcoming challenge matches to determine the lineup.
The lone seniors on this year’s roster are Xavier Allen and Parker Reynolds.
Stump said freshmen Joseph Graham and Adam Badr have stood out during early-season practices.
“They have shown that they are both going to be ranked high on our roster,” Stump said. “It’s still too early to tell where some of our other players will rank because of how competitive the group has been so far.”
The team’s inexperience at the varsity level is an area of concern at the beginning of the season, but Stump is confident the Eagles will make steady progress this spring.
“We have athletes and experience within the group, so my hope is that the more experienced players continue to help with our team’s development as our matches begin,” Stump said. “I expect to see a lot of growth from our group over the season. They are energetic, enjoy the sport, and are picking things up quickly.”
Stump said he’s been pleased with what he’s seen out of his team thus far.
“Our biggest strength is in the youth of our roster,” he said. “Their energy reminds me of the group we had in the spring of 2017, which developed into a strong, competitive team.”
As far as the season opener, Joplin hosts Webb City at 4:30 on April 5. The Eagles will host their own invite on April 22.
“I’m interested to see how the guys compete and grow over the course of the season, especially with the mix of new talent and athletes from other sports,” Stump said.
