Four varsity regulars assist MHS girls tennis team | News, Sports, Jobs

Turnout is high in Marshalltown girls tennis for both first-timers and returning players with varsity experience. Four of the Bobcats’ returning players were the team’s singles and doubles players in 2022, giving the team a foundation of experience starting as a member of the Iowa Alliance Conference. Head coach John Fiscus said this was an important positive step for the program and he is looking forward to facing his new (and familiar) opponents.

“We have our new conference that we’re in and hopefully we’ll be pretty successful in that, I’m looking forward to that,” Fiscus said. “We have high hopes for us and of course the competition will be everywhere, but this year we will be more successful.”

Fiscus’ program is led by junior Rebekah Downs and sophomore Kennedy Feldman, who finished the 2022 season as the top two in the varsity lineup. Fiscus said he sees another step in their development, based on the preseason and their play in games and practice late last year.

“Very happy with both Kennedy and Rebekah,” Fiscus said. “Even at the end of last year, that was one of the reasons I was so happy when they were competing against each other. It made me happy that they are competitive, they have spirit and they want to win.

The leaders also include Brianna Hargraves, Emily Diggins, Claire Bohan, Chesni Uhde, Ava Lucas, Grace Bethel and more battling for spots in both the back end of the singles lineup and the doubles spots.

Fiscus said Ellie Downs also has the potential to make the varsity lineup during her season as a freshman.

The new conference also brings some tough opponents, including Ames and Mason City. Fiscus said the Bobcats have competed well in the past against some high-quality opponents, but not having to go against CIML opposition on a regular basis also helps. The Bobcats’ season opener includes games against Des Moines Hoover (March 30) and Des Moines East on April 4 before a matchup with Ames on April 6.

“We battled Ames last year, it was just a 95-degree day that had been cold all spring and we had kids in the fall,” Fiscus said. “I’m looking forward to the Ames match. I wish it was a little later in the schedule, but we’ll take it when we can.”