Youthful SHS tennis team shines in 2022

The Sandpoint High School tennis team had a remarkable regular season that included a district championship victory, a 12-0 sweep over 4A Inland Empire League foe Lakeland, and an undefeated season for the girls.

The Bulldogs may not have come away with any medals from the state tournament at the Boise Racquet Club last weekend, but what they did gain was experience.

With the exception of Olivia Petruso, Denali Terry, and Tyler Korn, all of Sandpoint’s state qualifiers will be back again in 2023.

“We created such good energy at the state tournament,” Sandpoint tennis coach Kent Anderson said. “We were really competitive and that experience made everyone look forward to next year. Almost all the kids came up to me and told me that they're going to work so hard to make sure next year is a success.”

Sophomore Neva Reseska, who made it to the second day of the state tournament, will be back in Sandpoint’s tennis lineup next year.

She was one of the most consistent pieces of the Bulldogs’ tennis team, never missing a meet and always competing.

“She’s an amazing athlete and watching her out there compete has been great,” Anderson said. “She competes at such a high level and she’s committed to working all summer and is going to be a perennial star for Sandpoint. All the girls she had to beat this year are graduates, so she’s going to be very tough.”

Maise Brazill, who ended the season 11-1 as Sandpoint’s girls number two singles player, will also be back on the court in 2023.

She was one match away from entering the second day of the state tournament but fell short. She’s been working with Anderson since she was in seventh grade and continuously improves with every passing year.

“She’s such a hard worker, she’s the first one to come in and the last one to leave,” Anderson said. “She leads by example and is extremely tough on the court. She’s just going to be tougher next year and will give (Neva) Reseska a run for her money all season for the number one singles spot.”

The best friend duo of Cayden Kindred and Tyler Korn found themselves in the semi finals of the Idaho Class 4A state tournament but ultimately fell in back-to-back matches to not get a spot on the podium.

The duo had an interesting route to get to where they were by the end of the year. Kindred hadn’t picked up a racket for Sandpoint High School since his freshman year. Covid ended his sophomore year and he came back for his junior year for his best season yet.

“He was a good tennis player his freshman year and became unbeatable towards the end of the year,” Anderson said. “After his hiatus he hung in there and hit with me all summer long and got his shots down. He was hitting so hard and I had no answers for his shots.”

Kindred started the year as a singles player and his partner, Korn spent most of his time with multiple different partners.

The two struggled a bit early on to find their footing before going to Anderson and proposing they become partners. After that, it was history.

“He was playing with (Jacob) Dawson for a while and I had thought that was a winning combination,” Anderson said. “But they wanted to go out in grand style and it turned out to be a great move for both of them.”

Kindred will be back in Sandpoint’s lineup next year, but Korn will be graduating.

“I look at (Tyler) more as a friend,” Anderson said. “We’ve been together for a really long time and he’s still trying to figure out ways that he can stay.”

Petruso and Terry will be the other seniors parting ways with the Sandpoint tennis program, which is going to be a tough pill for Anderson to swallow.

“They have been the heart and soul of the team for years,” Anderson said. “They made an immediate impact as soon as they started to play together. It’s going to be extremely difficult during the banquet to give them their awards and say goodbye.”

This was Anderson’s 14 year as head coach of the Sandpoint tennis team, and he said there was something about this year’s team that will always stick with him.

“I really do connect with the kids every year; that’s why I coach every year,” Anderson said. “But there was something about this team that was a bit magical. We’ve had some teams in the past like this, but the comradery, the effort and the relationships were so positive and just makes coaching so enjoyable.