After being named South Dakota Tennis Coach of the Year this past season, Kevin Plank is ready to lead the Orioles into the 2021-2022 season.
The Lenox High School girls’ 2021 season kicks off next Friday, Aug. 13. In 2020, the team ended the season 2-10 but finished strong, recording the most individual wins in a season. The team also earned a few wins at the State Tournament.
“We only lost two Junior Varsity players to graduation, so our Varsity team from 2020 will all be returning,” said Plank.
Not only will the team have experience to fall back on with all the varsity returning, they also will enjoy some young up and coming players that have been putting in extra time over the summer.
“We are hoping this, along with our experience, will be a big benefit to this year’s success,” said Plank.
The Orioles will look to be at the top of their game this season with several teams out there sporting strong teams. Plank feels Rapid City Christian, Mitchell, and Yankton will be some of the top teams in Class A. But he likes his team’s chances.
“This will be our third season with this varsity team,” said Plank. “So hopefully our experience will carry last year’s momentum into the season in terms of team and individual wins. We also have a group of young players that are working hard and developing, so I’m excited to see their growth as well.”
Returning starters to this year’s team will be Ellen Boomgarden, Lizzy Buehner, Ally Hanlon, Madison Johnson, Gracen Juffer and Madison Buehner. Also on the team’s roster will be EmilyRose Harrington, Katheryn Loewe, Effie Wildeboer, Grace Dressen, and Miriam Welch. Plank expects a few more to join the team as the first practices of the season got underway this week.
The Orioles will compete at Harrisburg on Friday, Aug. 13 and Saturday, Aug. 14. Lennox is set to take on Harrisburg at 9 a.m. on Friday and Huron at 12 p.m. on Friday. On Saturday, Lennox is set to take on Milbank at 12:30 p.m. and Harrisburg at 3 p.m.
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