After putting together a 27-1 singles record for Hayden this spring, senior Alex Sherer will represent Rossville in postseason tennis. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After a wait of nearly four years, senior Alex Sherer is officially a Rossville Bulldawg tennis player.
Following an impressive 27-1 singles run this season as a co-op player for Hayden, Sherer will switch gears this weekend and represent Rossville in Class 3A-1A regional competition Friday and Saturday at Salina Central High School, vying for a berth in the 3A-1A state tournament on May 14-15 at Wichita.
Sherer was unable to play his first two years of high school tennis because Rossville did not field a team and his chance to compete as a co-op player for Hayden and Rossville his junior season was wiped out by COVID-19.
But all the stars finally aligned for Sherer this spring and he's doing his best to make up for lost time.
Sherer competed in a full regular-season schedule for Hayden, finishing that stint with the singles championship in last Saturday's Emporia tournament, and will now represent Rossville as a one-man team in postseason.
"It's been fun,'' Sherer said. "I've been making new friends and re-meeting people I had met before and just trying to be a good teammate and have a good time.''
A standout on the summer circuit for several years, Sherer hasn't always been pushed this spring, but said his time with Hayden has helped get him ready for what's ahead the next couple of weeks.
"You play some matches where obviously you don't get a lot out of it, but I think just stepping back and getting to enjoy the moment I think can loosen anyone up and you start to play some good tennis just because you're enjoying it so much,'' Sherer said.
"For me I think I'm always going to have certain things I do well, but just being in a good mindset is definitely the big key and I've been relaxed and feeling good.''
After being coached by James Sandstrom at Hayden, Sherer will be coached in postseason by his father, Jesse, a former Washburn University Hall of Famer and a member of the WU Hall of Fame.
"We clash heads sometimes, but I think that's just because we're both super-competitive,'' Alex said. "But especially in my one and only year, I think it's good to have him around and I think him getting to be there is something where I know he's in my corner, so I don't have anything to worry about.''
Headed to Kansas Wesleyan University for his collegiate career, Sherer just wants to use the next two weeks to try and make his brief high school career a memorable one.
"Not getting to play the high school season my first three years was pretty tough, especially the third one because of everything that went on (with COVID), but you can't regret anything, especially now,'' Sherer said. "It's been fun, I've enjoyed myself and I can't really complain.
"I just want to leave it all out there, for sure.''
