Raiders serving up wins in tennis

By James Weber • jweber@nky.com See raiders-serving-up-wins-in-tennis

Ryle High School nearly defeated the dominance of Covington Catholic in boys tennis last week.
The Raiders fell 3-2 to the Colonels in the boys semifinals of the Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference Division I tournament.

“It could have gone either way,” Ryle head coach Amy Bates said. “They couldn’t have been any closer. My guys played really well, and I was proud of them. We’re hoping they can prove it in the regional tournament.”

Kento Okita lost to Cov Cath’s Stephen Schafer in three sets at first singles. Yushi Okita won at second singles.  Sophomore Adam Rost lost at third singles. Seniors Logan North and Evan Wagner won at first singles, and junior Alex Arnett and eighth-grader David Geis lost at second singles.
Both Okitas, senior twin brothers, will go to Western Kentucky University to play tennis. The Okitas, who have been part of the Ryle program for about seven years, are the first Division I signees for the program in recent memory.

Yushi played in the state tournament the last two years. Kento has been one match away from qualifying, losing to Yushi in a playoff match for a berth in 2009 after both lost in the regional semifinals.

With the addition of the new state team tournament this year, the regional semifinalists will go to state no matter what. Bates’ goal is to get both brothers into the state singles tournament and get the Raiders into the team tournament at the same time. The regional team champion will play in the state tournament, starting with a sectional tourney May 21. That tourney will be in the standard dual match format.

“I’d like the team to go to state,” Bates said. “That was our goal from the beginning, have a winning season and be competitive with Cov Cath. We’re still working on it.”   She said the North and Wagner doubles team have really stepped up in their senior years. Arnett was away from the team for two years and has come back.

Ryle’s girls tennis team is also having a strong season. The Raiders lost 3-2 to Notre Dame in the finals of the Division I conference tournament.