The largest tennis team in Delta HS history is working hard with hopes of having another successful season.
Forty-one girls, including 17 freshmen, are playing this spring. Four varsity players return from last year’s team that advanced to the IHSAA Team State Finals before losing 3-2 to Jasper in the quarterfinals.
Varsity returnees include two-time All-State Singles player Ellie Snider along with senior Mayzie Hinkle and sophomores Tynan Dishman and Maggie Manor. Hinkle, a varsity player since her freshman year, enters with a team-leading 47 career varsity wins.
Among the schedule highlights:
> For the first time in school history, the Eagles will host Carmel in a dual match. This is scheduled for Wednesday, April 24. Carmel has won five of the past six state championships in girls’ tennis. The teams will meet at Delta this season and at Carmel next season.
> The annual Teacher Appreciation Match will be Thursday, April 18 at Delta vs. Alexandria. All players and managers will honor a special teacher on that evening.
> The annual SmashCancer 8.0 match is planned for Thursday, May 2 at Yorktown. Last year’s match raised more than $7,400 for local tennis beneficiaries. (This match originally was scheduled for April 30 but is being moved to May 2 due a Yorktown scheduling conflict. The Delta-Pendleton match, originally planned for May 2, has been moved to Friday, April 26.)
> The JV team will participate in a new invitational this year for the first time. The JV will compete in the Plymouth Invite on Saturday, April 20. The same day the varsity will play at the annual Crawfordsville Invitational.
> Also, a freshmen only match has been scheduled for Friday, May 10 at home vs. Alexandria. The Tigers have 11 freshmen, while Delta has 17. Any of those freshmen who are NOT varsity players will be able to compete in the freshmen match.