Perfection is something all teams strive for, but few achieve. The 1999 Salem Wildcats tennis team under the direction of Coach John Thomas is in that elite group.
The school record for wins in a season set by the 1998 team did not last long as many of the same faces established a new mark one year later with a perfect 31-0 record that included the program’s first-ever North Egypt Conference championship as well as a second straight sectional crown.

Eight of Salem’s regular season wins were matches where the Wildcats did not lose a game. They won five additional matches where they dropped just one game. Their closest margin of victory in any regular season match was 7-2 and that happened only three times. Along the way Salem won the Teutopolis Doubles Tournament and the Carmi Quad Doubles Tournament with a perfect 4-0 record.

Salem’s dominance carried over into the NEC Tournament where the Wildcats did not lose any rounds in any position in both singles and doubles and at the sectional where they qualified six players in four positions for the state tournament

David Dice qualified for state in singles and won his first-round match against Nick Buscaglia of Hinsdale Central 7-6 (7-5), 6-2, but lost to Glenbrook North’s Jeremy Edelson in round two 6-1, 6-1. That setback sent Dice to the consolation bracket, but an injury early in his match against Rock Island Alleman’s Mike Bollsert forced Dice to retire.

Marc Snyder also qualified for state in singles, but lost in the first round to Dane Schmidgall of Peoria Richwoods 6-1, 6-2 and to John Cincola of Rock Island Alleman 6-0, 6-1 in the consolation bracket.

Justin Henke and Alex Bryant advanced to state in doubles where they lost a first-round match to Blake Warner and Rob Tamillo of Mt. Prospect 6-2, 6-2. That setback sent Henke and Bryant to the consolation round where they were eliminated by Jason Winslow and Chris Rakers of Belleville East 6-3, 6-3.

Micah Puricelli and Phillip Squibb also earned a trip to state in doubles where they fell in the first round to Mitch Clark and Tim Taylor of Lake Forest 6-1, 6-2. They were eliminated by Chris Compton and Bryan Rotunno of Warrenville South 6-1, 6-2 in the consolation bracket.
Dice received the squad’s Most Valuable Player Award for the season, while Tyson Stein was named Most Improved.