Chargers + IHSA Loophole = State Champs

The Chargers tennis team has gotten off to a strong start with a 4-4 record at mid-season. The team has been shaped by their ardent work ethic of blood, sweat, and tears. The program has gone through radical changes with the hiring of stellar tennis coach Brian Casey. He may not have ever played tennis before, but he has strived to grasp the art of the slam drill and the ever-elusive goal that is success. Coach will admit that he doesn’t necessarily know the finer points of the game and will probably always have to ask the other coaches how that stupid tiebreaker works, but he knows what it takes to be a champion and will push kids to their breaking point to help them realize their full potential. Since the onset of the season, it was clear it would be necessary to separate the men from the boys in order to create a successful Aurora Central Catholic tennis dynasty.

The backbone of the team is made up of Pat Hastings, Rob Taptich, Mark Brouch, Brendan Bond and Alex Karifiat. Hastings (7-1) has recently added more accomplishments—this time with his doubles partner Andrew Scott at the Yorkville Varsity Shootout—to his endless wall of accomplishments. The partners abused the competition, walking away with the hardware to prove it: a fifth place medal out of the seventeen teams. As Guy Davis would say, “Ouch Town… population: Andrew and Pat’s opponents.”

With a strong standing in Conference (0-2), there is definite hope to sweep up the Conference title. Realistically, the team aims to qualify for State—by default or some sort of IHSA loophole. Regardless, the Chargers have set a state record for fastest match, getting mercilessly abused by St. Francis in under fifty minutes. They instituted “Code Brown Pants” to ensure a quick match so Coach could get to the Chicago Blackhawks game in time. The team is proud to say that Coach didn’t miss a second of that game.

It’s been a great season for the Chargers and they hope to continue their success. All the winnings and high hopes of the tennis team can be summed up in one statement: “It feels good to be number one.”