Western tennis rides youth movement

Last year, when the Western Albemarle boys tennis team plowed its way through the Jefferson District and Region II tournaments en route to its second straight Group AA championship, much of the grunt work was done by a strong core of seniors.

After the graduation of five key players and some injuries springing up early in the year, Warriors coach Charles Ix went to the freshman well — and so far, that decision has paid big dividends.

“For a young lineup, for losing five starters and two captains, I’m pretty pleased,” Ix said. “You can’t recruit. You can maybe try a get a kid on the soccer team or something like that, but you play with the cards you’re dealt and work with it from there.”

It’s safe to say things are working out. So far this year, freshmen Cam Scott and Andrew Loving have combined for a record of 20-2 in their singles matches, with Loving remaining unbeaten.

It’s much of the same in doubles play with Scott, Loving and another first-year player, Grey Evans, putting together a combined record of 22-3.

“They’re naturals,” Ix said. “They’re all just very, very good players.”

Also kicking in their part are fellow freshmen Tom Lewis and Will Diamond, who occasionally fill in a vacant singles or doubles spot.

“The crazy thing is that Cam and Andrew are higher on the ladder, and Will’s lower, but they went to a tournament in Lynchburg and Will won the whole thing,” Ix said.

The five newest Warriors reload a Western program that has had no trouble winning in the past and that should keep a proud tradition secure for years to come.

“Just to think that they have three more years ahead of them is ridiculous,” said Western’s No. 1 player, junior Alex Preve. “It’s nice to see another generation of tennis come along.”

The freshmen made their introductions to the team over the summer. When senior Riley Wilson and some of his teammates would go to the courts at Western to work on their game or play a match, waiting for them was the class of 2012.

To Wilson and the other returning players, it was a good sign, and they made sure to let the young players know of the team’s lofty goals.

“We told [the freshmen] that we want to make it back to states and win,” Wilson said. “We said, if you can’t work at it everyday, at least give us every other day. These guys, every time I came out to the courts, they were there playing.”

Vocal leadership paired with open ears has been a big part of the underclassmen’s development, but it’s hardly uncharted territory. Preve and Wilson were once freshmen, and they, too, played on teams with expectations.

“They’ve set a good example for us for what do in the next few years,” Scott said. “They’re good role models.”

It seems that Scott has already figured things out quickly as Evans, who has only played for a year and half, credits his fellow classmate for all he’s learned.

“Cam pretty much taught me how to play tennis,” Evans said. “My family plays a lot, but Cam’s just a good teacher.”

With the postseason just around the corner, it would be understandable if the elder Warriors were concerned about how the younger players will hold up under the pressure, but Preve isn’t too worried.

“They don’t play like freshmen,” Preve said. “They haven’t shown signs of nervousness or weakness. They’ve just stepped up when they had to and you can’t thank them enough for that.”

Playing into the young players’ hands is the nature of the game.

“If you’re mentally strong, you can win any tennis match,” Scott said. “It’s not like football or basketball, where if you’re big, you’ll be able to win against a smaller guy.”

The Warriors (11-1, 8-0 Jefferson) wrap up the regular season today at Monticello at 5 p.m.