Leading up to an evening storm in Cottonwood on Tuesday, Feb. 27, conditions were windy during the Mingus Union High School boys tennis team’s loss 7-2 to visiting Sunrise Mountain High School.
Although the team result might have still gone in the loss column, the top two Marauders were in a position to win their individual matches. They beat Agua Fria High School 7-2 on Thursday, March 1, after losing to the Owls by the same score in 2017. That is because this year’s group has moved past the novice stage and on top of that has got depth top to bottom.
“It was a joke [Tuesday]. The wind was sick; it was a matter of dealing with the wind. It wasn’t really tennis [Tuesday], it was just surviving the wind,” Mingus head coach Larry Lineberry said. “We’re a better team this year. We have five players who are fairly even. Any one of them, after challenge [matches], can switch as the season goes on.”
The Marauders this year all have at least one year of varsity experience. As a result, Lineberry has not had to focus all of his time coaching on the fundamentals, but he still harps on them. The reason is, as many tennis coaches would say, it is a game to be played for life.
To be able to do so, one must learn properly. But this year, the group can make a step up in its play, despite the fact that the Marauders were unable to show it against the Mustangs on Feb. 27.
“We’ve waded through the basics and are now working on more advanced techniques and tactics,” Lineberry said. “I’m trying to teach them the game for their whole life because it’s a lifetime sport, because most high school sports aren’t … My overriding goal is to have them love the game and be able to play their whole life.”
New to this year’s team is senior Pedro Cremasco, an exchange student from Brazil. Cremasco was the No. 1 against Sunrise Mountain, and at one point he led 5-2 in the first set. He had six set points before losing 7-5 and then dropped the second set 6-2.
The No. 2, sophomore John Valentine, lost 6-2 ; 7-6 and had two set points in this second set; No. 3 junior Brigham Peterson lost 6-3 ; 6-2; No. 4 senior Crue Taylor lost 6-3 ; 6-4; No. 5 junior Jordan Finger won 6-2 ; 6-3; and No. 6 sophomore Travis O’Donnal lost 6-2 ; 6-3.
The No. 1 doubles pairing of Cremasco and Peterson lost 8-5, the No. 2 team [Valentine and Finger] lost 8-0 and No. 3 [Taylor and O’Donnal] won 8-4. All of the singles matches began at 2-2 due to the weather.
Lineberry said he spends a lot of time, more than most coaches, on serving. His Marauders are good at it, but it remains a key at practice. Now with a greater level of skill, he spends more time on advanced techniques and strategies to win points.
“We have pretty good serves, and we continue to work on them because they’re the most important, but unfortunately the least practiced. It’s the only stroke you can control,” Lineberry said. “We work more on tactics and strategies; we never not work on technique.”
The team goal was simple: Improve on last season’s 1-13 record. It equalled that in the 9-0 win over Moon Valley High School on Feb. 22, then achieved the goal against Agua Fria. Moon Valley was the team’s only win last season.
Now the new goal is to have a .500 record. The Marauders have their only three-match week of the season, and if they can win two of three, Lineberry said, he likes his team’s chances of having a good record.
They played Lee Williams High School, but results were unavailable at press time. Next up they play at Prescott High School at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 7, then at the same time the following day at Dysart High School.
