Internal competition strengthens Dexter tennis for 2023

DEXTER – The adage in athletics is that “Competition breeds success,” and if that is the case, then a pared-down Dexter High School girl’s tennis program should be able to win its share of matches this fall.

“I have one through four (players) who are battling,” sixth-year Bearcat coach Kristi Boles said earlier this month of the internal competition within her program.

The Bearcats, who graduated four seniors from their 2022 roster, will open their 2023 regular season today at Poplar Bluff (4 p.m.) before traveling to Charleston on Tuesday (4 p.m.) and Cape Central on Wednesday (4 p.m.).

Dexter will hold its home opener on Thursday against Sikeston at 4 p.m. and senior Kate Churchill, who “battled” with classmate Emma Dorton, as well as juniors Sophia James and Febe Worley, will be the Bearcats’ top singles player, followed by Dorton.

“You would think that your seniors would be up there (at the top),” Boles said, “but the younger girls are battling.”

A year ago, the Dexter program had 24 athletes vying for time on the court, as compared to 15 this fall. However, the drop isn’t necessarily a negative, according to Boles.

“It’s a good number for us,” Boles said. “It’s a good number to get practices in and get individual time to work with each kid.”

Churchill and Dorton are the lone seniors on the roster, while Boles has just one freshman (Chelsey Nation) out for the team. The rest of the roster is comprised of six juniors and six sophomores.

“We’re still learning,” Boles said, “but I think that we will be competitive.”

As Dexter usually is.

In Boles’ first season of leading the program, the Bearcats won 10 of 14 matches, and in the following four seasons, Dexter has been within one match of a .500 record in two of those.

An arduous schedule doesn’t help in that regard.

A year ago, the Bearcats faced MSHSAA Class 1 State Champion Kennett three times, and Southeast Missouri powers Notre Dame (14 wins) and Jackson (15 wins) twice.

“We have to play Kennett so many times,” Boles said. “And they are going to be very good again.”

Boles believes the tough schedule does help her athletes grow on the court, however.

“We’ve got to step up our mental game a little bit,” Boles said. “If we can mentally get ourselves over some humps, then we can physically beat teams.”