The 1998 season was a historic one in more ways than one for the Salem Wildcats tennis team and Coach John Thomas.
Salem established a new school record for wins in a season with a record of 27-4. Two of those losses came to Olney, which had an undefeated regular season. One of those setbacks to Olney came at the North Egypt Conference Tournament where the Wildcats finished second. Alex Bryant won the NEC singles championship at the No. 5 position, while Bryant and Justin Henke won the NEC Doubles title at No. 2. Salem’s other defeats came at the hands of Teutopolis and Charleston. During its regular season run the Wildcats posted a perfect 3-0 record as it won the Carmi Quad Doubles Tournament. The Wildcats did not lose a game in three of their wins and lost just once in four of their victories.
Salem achieved its other piece of history when it edged Highland 14-13 for its first-ever sectional championship in boys’ tennis. Six Wildcats qualified for state as Aaron Duke and Rob Marsh advanced in singles, while the doubles teams of David Dice and Marc Snyder along with Bryant and Henke also qualified.
Duke lost in the first round at state of Jason Bock of Ottawa 6-1, 6-1 and was eliminated in the first round of the consolation bracket by Blake Schneider of Belleville East 6-0, 6-1.
Marsh fell in the first round at state to Anand Patel of Hoffman Estates 6-1, 6-1 and was eliminated in the first round of the consolation bracket by Jack Carey of Champaign Central 6-2, 6-4.
Dice and Snyder lost their first-round match at state to John Dumpys and Adam Koren of Oak Park 6-0, 6-2 and were eliminated in the consolation bracket first round by Brian Flood and Evan Dixon of Champaign Central 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-4).
Bryant and Henke lost in the first round at state to Justin Conley and T.J. Schaeffer of Belleville East 6-1, 6-1 and were eliminated in the consolation bracket with a 6-2, 6-1 loss to Aurora West’s duo of Casey Hartman and Avaneesh Marwaha.
Marsh received the team’s Most Valuable Player Award, while Snyder was named Most Improved.