Editor’s Word: Sports activities author Roger Merriam is compiling a “20 Favorites” collection highlighting a few of his favourite athletes in a wide range of highschool sports activities since he began working on the Watertown Public Opinion in December of 1984. The collection is about northeastern South Dakota athletes, however some performed at schools everywhere in the state and others have moved to different areas.
Yesterday we launched the “20 Favorites” story on Watertown and Milbank ladies tennis and we’re going back-to-back right now with Watertown and Milbank boys tennis story.
4 state championships have been received by Watertown’s boys and slicing the checklist down was no straightforward activity.
Subsequent up within the collection might be Watertown Publish 17 Legion Baseball.
Others
We discovered just one Milbank participant who reached the semifiinals or higher since December of the 1984 and you will see his title beneath together with one other Bulldog you have most likely heard of.
This is another Watertown gamers of be aware, together with many who have been state place winners in both singles or doubles. The group contains Matt Gauger, Charlie Jacobson, Austin VanDerWeide, A.J. DeLange, Curtis Sneden, Brandon Lindner, Jeff Moffatt, Brian Woldt, Gray Jensen, Dave Linngren, Dan Sherrill, Jon Impolite, Erik Hanson, Mike Heller, Darren True, Steve Morgans, Collin Zent, T.J. Beadnell, Joe Dorale, Jordan McPeek, Joe Steska, Ryan Zeeb, Tyler Spilde and Tyler Hegge. Once more, my apologies if we missed someone. So many gamers, solely so many spots.
Once more a lot of the outcomes beneath are from state tournaments and plenty of Arrows additionally loved success within the Japanese South Dakota Convention tourneys.
20. Trevor Ewald
Most of those tales are about attempting to checklist the 20 finest gamers since in numerous sports activities since I began working on the Public Opinion in December of 1984 however the title “20 Favorites” permits for some particular mentions. Sure Trevor is Scott Ewald’s son and he did workforce with Ryan Zeeb for a third-place end at No. 3 doubles for Watertown as a senior in 2002.
I am placing him right here due to a photograph. We ran a photograph of Trevor of April 2002 with shades and darkish hair that made him seem like Elvis Presley had reappeared at, of all locations, Highland Park in Watertown. Seems I took the picture, however I simply at all times remembered calling it the “Elvis” picture.
19. Kalen DeBoer
I knew, and plenty of of you additionally did, that the brand new College of Alabama head soccer coach was a star soccer, basketball and baseball standout in highschool. Seems he additionally ran monitor (fairly darn effectively) and performed No. 1 singles for Milbank Excessive Faculty’s tennis workforce in 1992 and 1993.
I did not have any luck monitoring down a tennis picture of Kalen and I do know his senior yr he did not play in a twin at Watertown. I did discover a monitor relay picture displaying him competing within the Area 1A monitor meet the day earlier than he competed within the 1993 state tennis event. Sure, he performed each sports activities on the similar and 5 general. He turned it fairly effectively as an athlee and an as a coach with out specializing in one sport.
18. Charlie Timm
Choose Robert Timm was a Watertown Excessive Faculty graduate who spent 28 years as a Third Circuit Courtroom choose earlier than retiring in 2015. His son Charlie was a strong doubles participant for the Arrows, putting fourth at No. 3 doubles with Travis Alvine in 2001, fourth at No. 2 doubles with Alvine in 2002 and fourth at No. 2 doubles with Ryan Schoenefeld in each 2003 and 2004.
20 Favorites: Hyperlinks to the tales highlighting the perfect northeastern South Dakota athletes since 1984
17. Tommy Nealon and Heath Rydell
Undecided why I listed these two guys collectively, however they each deserve a spot on the checklist.
Nealon completed fifth at No. 3 doubles with Hegge in 2011, fifth at No. 3 doubles with McPeek in 2012 and second at No. 2 doubles with Mark DeSpiegler in 2013.
Rydell positioned third at No. 6 singles and third at No. 3 doubles with Impolite in 1998 and added a state runner-up end at No. 4 singles in 1999.
16. Scott Erickson and Jared Johnson
Identical deal right here, no connection, however two extra deserving gamers.
Erickson completed second at No. 4 singles in 2000 and third at No. 3 singles and third at No. 2 doubles (with Joe Steska) in 2001.
Johnson was no less than a four-year varsity common who took second at No. 3 doubles with David Brandsrud in 2009 and fourth at No. 2 doubles with Andrew Towle in 2010. He additionally took fourth at No. 4 singles in 2010 and performed No. 2 singles the subsequent two years.
15. David Brandsrud
David is the son on former WHS assistant principal and principal Brad Brandsud, however do not name this a who-you-need-to-know checklist.
David completed fourth at No. 3 doubles with Moffatt in 2007 after which took second at No. 5 singles and second at No. 3 doubles with Johnson in 2009.
14. Ian Marquardt
Marquardt took second within the fourth flight of singles in 1991 and returned the subsequent yr to assist Watertown seize the primary of three-straight state workforce championships by successful the fourth flight of singles and teaming with Adam Fox to win the second flight of doubles.
Extra: Publish 17 scheduled to open its 2024 season with doubleheaders this weekend in Iowa
13. Tanner Heiser
Neglect the ranking Tanner, you could possibly be a lot larger. Most of us keep in mind Tanner because the boys basketball standout who completed his profession because the fourth main scorer at school historical past with 1,130 factors however he additionally shined on the tennis courtroom.
He completed third at No. 5 singles in 2012, fifth at No. 3 singles in 2011, received a state championship at No. 3 singles in 2012 and was second at No. 2 singles on one other Arrow state championship workforce in 2013.
Heiser additionally took third at No. 3 doubles with DeSpiegler in 2010, fourth at No. 1 doubles with Jordan Feige in each 2011 and 2012 earlier than teaming with Feige to win the primary flight of doubles in 2013.
12. The Schoepps (Kirby and Marcus)
Kirby teamed with Alvine to seize the state title at No. 1 doubles in 2004. He additionally positioned fourth at No. 5 singles in 2000 and third at No. 4 singles in 2001.
Youthful brother Marcus took third at No. 6 singles and fourth at No. 3 doubles with Brett Schoenefeld in 2004, third at No. 4 singles and second at No. 2 doubles (with Brett Schoenefeld) in 2005 and fourth at No. 1 doubles with Schoenefeld in 2007. Marcus additionally performed No. 1 singles his ultimate two years.
11. Mark DeSpiegler
DeSpiegler was one other gifted participant on the 2013 state championship workforce who loved a notable profession with the Arrows earlier than taking part in in faculty at Augustana Faculty.
He teamed with Heiser to take third at No. 3 doubles in 2010. He additionally positioned fifth at No. 4 singles in 2011, second at No. 4 singles in 2012, second at No. 3 singles and second at No. 2 doubles with Nealon in 2013 earlier than taking part in No. 1 singles in 2014.
10. Chad Struckman and Aaron Weippert
Struckman received the No. 4 singles state title and teamed with Weippert to win the No. 2 doubles title in 1998.
Struckman additionally completed third within the third flight of singles and third within the second flight of doubles with Weippert in 1997. Struckman and Weippert additionally completed second at No. 2 doubles in 1998.
Weippert additionally completed fourth at No. 5 singles in 1997, third at No. 3 singles in 1998 and fourth at No. 1 doubles with David Haggar in 1999.
9. The Schoenefelds (Ryan and Brett)
The 2 brothers had strong careers for the Arrows within the early 2000s.
Ryan took fourth at No. 5 singles in 2003, fourth at No. 4 in 2004 and second at No, 2 in 2005. In doubles, he teamed with Charlie Timm to take fourth at No. 2 in 2003 and 2004 and teamed with Alvine for a fourth-place end at No. 1in 2005.
Brett took second at No. 5 singles in 2004, fourth at No. 3 doubles (with Marcus Schoepp) in 2004, fifth at No. 3 singles and second at No. 2 doubles (with M. Schoepp) in 2005, fifth at No. 2 singles and fourth at No. 1 doubles with M. Schoepp once more in 2006.
I assumed each brothers performed in faculty however a web based search solely confirmed that Ryan performed at St. Cloud (Minn.) State.
8. Jordan Feige
A six-year common, Feige performed for the Arrows from 2008 via 2013 earlier than taking part in collegiately at Grand View College in Des Moines, Iowa.
Feige completed third at No. 6 singles in 2008, fourth at No. 3 in 2009, fourth at No. 1 in each 2011 and 2012 and second at No. 1 in 2013.He additionally completed third at No. 2 doubles with Zent in 2009, third at No. 1 with Spilde in 2010, fourth at No. 1 with Heiser in each 2011 and 2012 after which teamed with Heiser to win the No. 1 doubles state title in 2013.
7. Travis Alvine
Alvine received a fifth-flight singles title as an eighth-grader in 2001 and likewise teamed with Timm to take fourth at No. 3 doubles.
He was fourth at No. 3 singles and fourth at No. 2 doubles with Timm in 2002, third at No. 2 singles in 2003, second at No. 2 singles and first at No. 1 doubles with Kirby Schoepp in 2004 and fourth at No. 1 doubles with Ryan Schoenefeld in 2005.
6. The Towles (Mike, Danny and Andrew)
The Towle brothers have been varsity gamers for the Arrows from 2005-2010.
Mike completed third at No. 5 singles in 2005 and fourth at No. 3 singles and third at No. 2 doubles with T.J. Beadnell in 2006. Danny took third at No. 3 singles and second at No. 2 doubles with A.J. DeLange in 2007. Andrew teamed with Jared Johnson to position fourth at No. 2 dou les in 2010.
5. Phillippe Sudan, Milbank
Successful a first-flight singles state title is not any straightforward activity however Sudan, a foreign-exchange scholar who performed just one season of tennis at Milbank. He made probably the most of it, notching a runner-up end within the spring of 1996.
He additionally teamed with present Watertown banker Brian Buisker to notch a fifth-place end at No. 1 doubles that very same yr.
I used to be instructed by a dependable supply (cannot keep in mind who, however I consider him) that Sudan ended up in Milbank as a result of he needed to play baseball and Milbank is the birthplace of American Legion Baseball. One drawback, he was solely in Milbank through the faculty yr and Legion Baseball did not begin till the summer time. So he went out for tennis.
4. The Haggars (Tom and David)
I obtained confused once I did the ladies’ story and forgot to checklist Tom together with David as brothers of Katie Haggar.
Tom teamed with Jason Meester to take second within the third flight o doubles in 1991 and got here again the next yr to workforce with Meester to win the No. 3 doubles title, main Watertown to the primary of three-straight state workforce championships.
David appeared to play eternally for the Arrows. He completed second at No. 3 singles in 1994, first at No. 2 singles as an eighth-grader in 1995 and second at No. 2 singles in 1996. As a junior in 1998, he teamed with Charlie Jacobson to take third at No. 1 doubles and closed out his profession with a fourth-place end in No. 1 doubles with Weippeart in 1999.
3. Adam and Sam Fox
There have been extra Foxes who performed tennis for the Arrows, together with Rory if not others. Adam and Sam have been cousins, not brothers.
Adam received the No. 2 singles title and teamed with Marquardt to win at No. 2 doubles on Watertown’s first state championship workforce in 1992 and got here again in 1993 to win the third flight of singles and the second flght of doubles with Jason Meester.
Sam and Dorale took third at No. 3 doubles on the 1993 state champions. On one other state title workforce in 1994, Fox completed second at No. 2 singles and third at No. 1 doubles with Todd Meester.
1B. The Meesters
We mentioned yesterday that the Meesters have been probably the most notable household of tennis gamers in Watertown program historical past (each girls and boys).
Brothers Jason and Todd have been key members of the 1992, 1993 and 1994 state championship groups.
Jason teamed with Tom Haggar to take second at No. 3 doubles in 1991 earlier than successful at No. 3 doubles in 1992. He additionally took second at No. 2 singles and teamed with Adam Fox to win at No. 2 doubles in 1993.
Todd received at No. 3 singles and at No. 1 doubles with Mike Murphy in 1992 and once more received state titles at No. 2 singles and No. 1 doubles with Murphy in 1993. He additionally took third at No. 1 singles and third at No. 1 doubles with Sam Fox in 1994.
Jason’s sons Jacob and Joey every have performed for the Arrows. Joey is a sophomore on this spring’s Arrow squad. Todd’s daughters Leyla and Jahna every performed together with son Evan, who a senior for the present Arrows. He positioned fifth at state in No. 2 doubles with Justin Remmers final spring.
1A. Mike Murphy
The Meesters deserve high honors however so does Murphy, who received first flight singles state championships in each 1992 and 1993 and a primary flight doubles title with Todd Meester in 1993. They have been additionally second at No. 1 doules in 2022.
Murphy was born in Wichita (Kan.) and his father was an American coach who labored for the federal government of Bahrain — an island nation (about half of the scale of Codington County) positioned within the Persian Gulf close to Saudi Arabia. That is the place longtime WHS cross nation and monitor coach Vic Godrey was an Olympic coach for Bahrain.
Godfrey’s son Nathan and Murphy grew to become buddies earlier than the Godfreys moved again to the U.S. The Murphys returned to the nation in 1990 and after a yr at boarding faculty in Kansas, Murphy was invited to spend his junior yr with the Godfreys in Watertown.
He stayed two years and did his half to place Watertown’s boys tennis program on the map.
Comply with Watertown Public Opinion sports activities reporter Roger Merriam on X (previously generally known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or e mail: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com
This text initially appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: 20 Favorites collection’ take a look at Watertown and Milbank boys tennis
