Dover tennis team quietly building strong season

Flying in the shadow of some of Dover’s other spring teams, all of which seem to be performing well, the boys tennis team has been putting together a strong season. Heading into midweek, the Tornadoes were 5-1 in dual matches and finished third in their only tournament so far.

“The boys are playing well,” said Dover coach Courtney Rose, whose team has been unbeaten since a loss to Wooster March 31.

The team is getting solid play throughout the lineup. At first singles, senior Nathan Ricker is 5-1 in dual matches. Junior Jeremy Cappell is 4-2 at No. 2 singles, while junior Bryce Beckley has picked up a couple of wins at No. 3 singles.

At first doubles, seniors Robert Wolfe and Micah Maize are 4-2, while the No. 2 team of senior Nathan Basso and junior Maddox Miller are 3-3. A clutch win by the Basso-Miller duo against New Philadelphia turned a team loss into a victory.

At the Mt. Vernon Invitational April 11, the Tornadoes placed third among eight teams, trailing Watkins Memorial and Geneva. Cappell finished as the No. 2 singles runner-up. Ricker placed third at first singles, and Wolfe and Maize also finished third.

“Tough competition, but the boys played great,” Rose said.