After a State championship berth last year and a girls team that saw State champions and runners-up, the bar is set high for the boys tennis team as the Scouts begin their season.

With eleven players returning from last year’s squad, the team is already experienced.

The first match will take place after spring break on April 7, against Evanston at home. After an intense schedule, the season will come to a close in May, with the Conference championship on May 13-14 and Sectionals on May 21. From there, depending on how the team does, State will take place the week after.

According to senior and third-year varsity member Kaden Wilhelm, the returning players are coming back stronger than ever.

“I think the returning players have gotten a lot better…I feel like everyone’s just been practicing more,” Wilhelm said. “I think our main guys now are just a lot better than they were last year.”

There is a shared optimism among the team about this coming season, which was echoed by Wilhelm as well as senior captain Sahil Conjeevaram.

“Last year we were top five in the state in the regular season but we performed poorly when it mattered most in the playoffs,” Conjeeveram said. “There’s a lot of upperclassmen on the team that are hungry and more determined than ever. I have a feeling this year is going to be really special.”

The goals for the team are the same as years past, Conjeeveram said: win Conference, Sectionals, and State.

“Once there was a horse race, and everyone counted out the dark horse. But then the dark horse came out and won,” Wilhelm said. “That really simplifies our team this year.”