Season Preview: Doubles

Part One: Schedule Overview
Part Two: Singles
Part Three: Doubles

Top Ten Doubles Lineups We Will Face

Wow, doubles lineups are hard to figure out. Mostly because very few doubles teams are returning from last season. So this is even more speculation than the singles. Who will teams match up together, how will they mesh? It's all really up in the air. So again, more for something to think about than it is completely true.

10. Jimtown
Returning - #1D - Brett Aller
Now, Jimtown lost all of their players from last year. So Brett could end up playing #1 singles. But Jimtown had a solid top of their JV, and so whoever ends up at doubles will be pretty good. They also have a good coaching staff, which makes a huge difference.

9. NorthWood
Returning - #1D - Jayson Linhart/Tyler Rhoades, #2D - Shawn Stahley/Brennan Angle
The only team returning their whole doubles lineup in this whole list, they are only this low because they weren't that successful last year. But experience and work could take these guys way up the list. They played well against us last year.

8. Wabash
Returning - #2D - Trevor Patton/David Driscoll
This team lost to Russell and Nick last year when they were starting to play well, but Patton and Driscoll looked like very solid players on an off day. Again, Wabash has been a successful program for the past several years, so we'll look forward to how these guys play this year.

7. Fairfield
Returning - No one.
Fairfield returns no players from their varsity, but they had a super successful JV season. Their top JV doubles team defeated Claude and Misha 8-5, and they actually won all 5 of the top JV spots from us last year. They'll bring in some talented players and probably move up this list.

6. Rochester
Returning - #1D - Phil Keim/Cody Hershberger, #2D - Josh Calhoun
The #1 doubles match between Keim/Hershberger and Austin/Kyle last year was a very good one. Austin and Kyle only won by a 6-4, 6-4 score, and the Rhinos were quite competitive throughout. Throw in one #2 doubles player returning and they could have a decent doubles year.

5. Westview
Returning - #2D - Austin Schlabach/Devin Bontrager
Schlabach and Bontrager have names that sound like they should be on our team, but they defeated us at #2 doubles last year 6-4, 6-4. After taking some lessons over the offseason, these guys should make a solid top of the doubles lineup.

4. Eastern Returning - #1D - Noel Horvath, #2D - Adam McKinney
Now, my bro the pro is coaching this team, and he's talked about moving these guys to singles. But if they do play doubles together, they would be a formidable team. Apart, they beat us last year at #1 doubles and #2 doubles. They'll be strong playing together.

3. Northridge
Returning - No one.
I'm chalking this ranking up to a really good JV and a strong coaching staff and tradition. I've no idea who will play doubles for the Raiders, but I know they will be strongly drilled, they will have worked in the offseason and they will be confident. That is half the battle.

2. Concord
Returning - No one.
Same as Northridge, really good coaches plus talented JV players equals good teams. I look forward to seeing these guys play this year.

1. Goshen
Returning - #1D - Jonny Tan, #2D - Eli Metzler-Prieb/Nick Dandino
They return 3 players with varsity experience and though we defeated their teams last year, the wins did not come easy. The other factor here is a full returning varsity. Goshen brings back 6 of 7, and a group like that can really bond and work hard to improve, like our 2008 class did. I expect Goshen to be a difficult match this year, with their returning doubles players being a big part of that.