Seniors to provide 'leadership' for Bearcats on tennis courts this fall

Dexter High School senior tennis player Puja Maisuria returns a shot during a training session earlier this summer at the school.

Tom Davis ~ Tdavis@semoball.com

The Dexter High School girls tennis program has put together consecutive five-win seasons in each of the past two autumns, and veteran Bearcat coach Kristi Boles is hoping a “core group of seniors” can elevate the program over the next couple of months.

“We have a good group, a core group of seniors,” Boles said. “I think our leadership is our core strength right now.”

The Bearcats have 19 athletes competing for the coveted match spots, including six seniors (Briley Engler, Marlie Hatton, Sophia James, Kinley Kennedy, Puja Maisuria, and Febe Worley).

“That (experience) is helping teach the younger girls the way,” Boles continued, “and how to approach the game itself.”

Worley is among the top singles players competing for the No. 1 job. She is battling with classmates James and Maisuria.

“They are probably my top three right now,” Boles said.

In the case of Worley, she has a trait on the court, length, that few of her opponents will possess.

At 6-foot-plus, Worley can cover a lot of ground on the court.

“One of (those three) is better with her strokes,” Boles said of the trio’s strengths. “One of them is quicker on her feet.”

With 13 non-seniors on the roster, there is fierce competition to fill the roles under those top three seniors.

Among the younger players, who have “stepped up,” according to Boles, are junior Jalynn Proffer, junior Kenli Musgrave, and junior Serina Churchill.

“They are looking to vie for some of those last spots,” Boles said.

In forming her doubles pairs, Boles explained that she’ll “try to find the right chemistry between the two (players),” so it isn’t automatically, just the top two singles players form one tandem, the next two will form another, and so on.

“Sometimes it is that easy,” Boles said, “but sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes it also ends up being what the kids want to (play) in Districts, if they want to play singles or doubles or if they are going to want to play singles in Districts later.

“I’ll make sure that they are not paired with somebody who may want to play doubles because then they won’t be practicing with their doubles partners. I want them to practice with who they are going to play with.”

The Bearcats will open their regular season at home against Charleston at 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

The opening week will be a busy one for Boles’ girls. Following the first match, Dexter will host Cape Central on Wednesday and Sikeston on Thursday, with both matches starting at 4 p.m.

On Sept. 6, the Bearcats travel to the Kennett Invitational Tournament to conclude four matches in as many days.