Crawfordsville boys’ tennis was successful in 2023. A 13-4 overall record that included a sectional title. The Athenians won the title with a 3-2 win over Lebanon, which avenged a loss to the Sagamore Conference champions from the regular season.
Now, entering the final year of the Sagamore Conference, the Athenians, who have won 22 SAC titles, return five guys with varsity experience looking for a 23rd.
Seniors Wyatt Motz, Jude Coursey and Jude Hutchison are the key returners alongside juniors Nolan Watt and Rowan Gambrel, and sophomore Henry Bannon.
“We have six guys returning on varsity with experience,” Crawfordsville coach Craig Brainard said. “I think this helps us to compete at a high level consistently and it gives us opportunities to win matches in a lot of different ways.”
Brainard says he’s looking forward to watching his team compete and celebrate the big wins knowing how hard they’ve worked to get there.
Crawfordsville will be seeking a third-straight sectional title this season.
“Our primary goal is to develop individual skills and become better teammates,” Brainard added. “If we can do that, I think we have the team to get back on top of the conference and claim another sectional title. We expect to face a lot of good opponents this season and we’re thankful for that. A tough schedule helps us to get ready for the matches that matter most and gives younger guys experience to take with them down the road.”
Crawfordsville opens the season at 5 p.m. Aug. 20 at home against Fountain Central.