Name a better boys public school team than Science Hill

[BillVol]

I don't think anyone can. The Science Hill boys tennis team has to be the best boys public school team in Tennessee history. They coasted to the public school title.

 

But in the regular season, they also beat, on the road, private school power Webb School of Knoxville, 6-3. Earlier in the regular season, Webb beat McCallie, eventual private champs. (Yesterday, McCallie turned the tables and nipped Webb, 4-3, to win the private school state championship.) Also, in the regular season, Science Hill travelled over 200 miles to Chattanooga and lost to McCallie, 7-2, in a match that could have very easily gone either way.

 

I know this isn't a big deal to most people, but I think this is noteworthy. It is very rare -- unheard of, really -- that a public school can compete with the top private schools in tennis. Tennis is a year-round activity for the private school players, and they receive expert instruction from coaches such as ex-Vol Eric Voges, McCallie coach. Meanwhile, the public schoolers often play other sports during the year. Star Science Hill tennis ace, Chris Smith, also played basketball for the famous Topper hoops program.

 

It would have been interesting to see a true state final -- with no public/private separation -- which might have included Science Hill. In the history of Tennessee high school tennis, there has never been a boys public school team that could challenge for the overall state championship -- until this year's Science Hill team.

[bbb]

good point -I'll ask SH coach Pete Zanni and maybe McCallie's Eric Voges.

 

 

 

what about Knox Bearden who had James Dickerson. he played at UTC and won state doubles in 2000 Bearden won four in a row 1998-2001.

 

Brett Richardson won the singles in 1998 and played No.1 and must have been a senior that year. Dickerson was probably a soph in 1998 and played No.2

 

b.b.b.

 

could Bearden's best of those four beat SH's best of these three? and maybe another great public school team.

 

on the girls side, Oak Ridge 1997-98-99 with Jill Buckley and Megan Dunigan might be the best. Red Bank in mid 1970s was solid with the great Susan Hill but not sure they had the depth that O.R. had.

 

this might make for a fun story ...

[westtnman]

Quote: "I know this isn't a big deal to most people, but I think this is noteworthy. It is very rare -- unheard of, really -- that a public school can compete with the top private schools in tennis. Tennis is a year-round activity for the private school players, and they receive expert instruction from coaches such as ex-Vol Eric Voges, McCallie coach. Meanwhile, the public schoolers often play other sports during the year. Star Science Hill tennis ace, Chris Smith, also played basketball for the famous Topper hoops program."

 

 

Have to disagree with you on part (well most) of this. Colton Norton, #1 player for A-AA State Champions USJ Bruins also started for basketball team and was on team that won first ever city wide roller blade hockey tournament. I don't really understand your argument that privates play this year-round in the first place, but you are just wrong on this.

[BillVol]

Quote: "I know this isn't a big deal to most people, but I think this is noteworthy. It is very rare -- unheard of, really -- that a public school can compete with the top private schools in tennis. Tennis is a year-round activity for the private school players, and they receive expert instruction from coaches such as ex-Vol Eric Voges, McCallie coach. Meanwhile, the public schoolers often play other sports during the year. Star Science Hill tennis ace, Chris Smith, also played basketball for the famous Topper hoops program."

 

 

Have to disagree with you on part (well most) of this. Colton Norton, #1 player for A-AA State Champions USJ Bruins also started for basketball team and was on team that won first ever city wide roller blade hockey tournament. I don't really understand your argument that privates play this year-round in the first place, but you are just wrong on this.

 

 

 

USJ is not a top tennis power despite their state title(s). Sorry, but they're not. I'm talking about the top private schools (that is, McCallie, Baylor, MBA, MUS, Webb). I'm sure there is an exception (maybe bbb can confirm), but I cannot recall a top tennis player at McCallie or Baylor ever playing another sport. At McCallie and Baylor, tennis training is year-round. This is not to say that great tennis players elsewhere didn't play other sports. Eddie Coates of Bradley won the state two or three times (I believe before the public/private split) and was also an outstanding basketball player.

 

bbb, Brentwood High has a tough team in the early to mid-'90s and played McCallie some tough matches. But they never threatened to win and I don't think ever beat a team like Webb.

 

Looking over the state results, there have been a few pre-public/private split boys team champs. But only one since Baylor and McCallie entered the TSSAA: Germantown, which pulled off the awesome feat twice in '80 and '81. However, the scoring was different then. It was not team versus team in a playoff. It was scored, as I recall, sort of like a track and field championship, with points given according to how high a player advanced in the individual and doubles bracket. The current format emphasizes team depth. All things considered, I think this year's Science Hill team is the best public school team ever.

[westtnman]

USJ is not a top tennis power despite their state title(s). Sorry, but they're not. I'm talking about the top private schools (that is, McCallie, Baylor, MBA, MUS, Webb).

 

 

 

Sorry, did not know this was a closed thread and you were only talking about certain schools.

Back to back state titles do not count??----ask the ones in DI A-AA how much they enjoy playing USJ.

 

I'll be leaving this thread now so you can continue your conversation on your "power houses" -----

I have to go tomorrow to welcome home our back to back "not top tennis power" State Champions home.

[BillVol]

Congrats to USJ. But they are not a state tennis power. I'm sorry, but they are not. Thanks to the zillions of classes we now have in the TSSAA, USJ has been able to win multiple "state championships." You should send thank-you notes to the TSSAA for these titles. The fact that USJ is a state champion in tennis shows what is wrong with the TSSAA.

[tennisplaya]

USJ is not a powerhouse by any means. Yes Colton and McGhee? are contenders, but after that their team turns into a sorry excuse for competition. I agree Science Hill is good, but not the best team in the state. MUS, McCallie, MBA, and Webb (given another chance and a full 3rd set rule) would all beat Science Hill.

 

Oh and I know you were talking about it earlier, Reid Walling also starts varsity basketball at Webb.

[bbb]

don't know much about the Germantown teams mentioned. I lived in Calif. then ... but Eric was a senior at McCallie in 1981 so he might recall. evoges@mccallie.org

 

 

 

and he could give good insight on Brentwood teams ..

 

you can ask Eric if any of his players play other sports ... I don't recall reading about them in the fall or winter. ...

 

Bill Vol - the Bradley team with Eddie Coates and his brother would give Science Hill all it could handle. They came within an eye lash of beating Baylor at Baylor in the district or region in mid-1990s ... B.C. wins at No.1 singles and most likely No.2 and No.1 doubles . only need one more point to beat Science Hill . they lost to Baylor by one point. that was in the days of one division and with McCallie, Baylor and B.C. all in the same area, it was tough and very good teams were left at home.

 

I asked the SH coach today about the 2009 SH team compared to one of the Bearden's teams. He said that this is just for fun to compare teams but he doesn't want to go on record making a hard core statement that for sure SH would win ..but he does think SH has the edge against the 2001 Bearden team which he thinks is the best of that four year run ...

 

mainly just some good dinner conversation from his view point ..

 

on the girls side, Oak Ridge is most likely the best public school team ever with Dunigan and Buckley ... beat a good Baylor team in '97 but doubtful they could have beaten GPS team a couple of years ago with Staphanie Harris at No.1 and Claire Bartlett at No.2

 

about playing another sport, I'd have to go back to annuals to see who played other sports ... doubtful they play football or basketball (not very big) and Eric said a couple of his guys don't play much USTA in the summer . many do but not all in the top six ...

 

 

 

I know going way back that some McCallie players did play other sports such as wrestling and basketball ...

 

 

 

b.b.b.

[dawgs2]

The 1990 Bearden tennis team is the best i can recall and would EASILY defeat this Science Hill team ..got upset by Webb in districts(who lost to Baylor in state finals)...this is not even close.....Chris Woodruff 1(top 30 io world at one time) Anthony Edwards 2(played at Arizona State) Thomas Mozur 3 (played at ut and current unc greensboro coach) John Wilbanks 4(top 10 in state rankings every age group he played) Terry Abrams 5 very solid player

 

 

This would be 5-0 or 4-1 Bearden.with no doubles needed ....tennis championships are so diluted nowadays with all these classifications...bring back the good ole days of having one state champion...vogues knows all these players when he was at Knoxvile Racquet Club and i would think he would agree to my above statement

 

Tennis is way down overall in the boys side from years past.....Science Hill a nice team but best ever is not a true statement...Chris Smith a nice little player but he going to utc (1-18 last year) and would probably play 4 or 5 on that team

[BillVol]

The 1990 Bearden tennis team is the best i can recall and would EASILY defeat this Science Hill team ..got upset by Webb in districts(who lost to Baylor in state finals)...this is not even close.....Chris Woodruff 1(top 30 io world at one time) Anthony Edwards 2(played at Arizona State) Thomas Mozur 3 (played at ut and current unc greensboro coach) John Wilbanks 4(top 10 in state rankings every age group he played) Terry Abrams 5 very solid player

 

 

This would be 5-0 or 4-1 Bearden.with no doubles needed ....tennis championships are so diluted nowadays with all these classifications...bring back the good ole days of having one state champion...vogues knows all these players when he was at Knoxvile Racquet Club and i would think he would agree to my above statement

 

Tennis is way down overall in the boys side from years past.....Science Hill a nice team but best ever is not a true statement...Chris Smith a nice little player but he going to utc (1-18 last year) and would probably play 4 or 5 on that team

 

 

Interesting comments all around. playa, what do you mean by third set rule? I would have to see all the teams play to make a definite opinion, but on paper, this year's SHHS team appears to be closer in talent to the top privates than you suggest. JMO.

 

I had forgotten about the Bearden team. They would have to get the nod, I suppose. Surprising they did not win the state. This begs the question, who was on the Webb and Baylor teams that year that finished ahead of Bearden? I agree talent is not what it used to be here and in the USA overall. I remember Chris Woodruff used to drive to McCallie from Knoxville to get instruction from Eric Voges.

[dawgs2]

back in 90 the district winner was determined by the team to score the most points in the district tourney...webb pulled off the upset b/c John Fritts( 8th grader at time) beat Edwards in singles semi giving Webb one more point than Bearden. Bearden had beaten Webb in regular season a week earlier. Webb looked like this 1 Joe Nichols(ga tech) 2 Tony Ivins 3 John Fritts(UT) s 4 Shane Ivins 5 Clint Cope

 

Webb had there best team ever in 91 with the exact same lineup minus Cope and replaced with Blake McMeans( 8th grader).....lost to MUS in finals , up 3-2 going to doubles and with match tied 3-3 came down to 1 doubles and Nichols gets defaulted for cursing...tough way to lose a championship, Webb Boys have never won one

 

Woodruff best high school player Ive ever seen play, hands down

[BillVol]

back in 90 the district winner was determined by the team to score the most points in the district tourney...webb pulled off the upset b/c John Fritts( 8th grader at time) beat Edwards in singles semi giving Webb one more point than Bearden. Bearden had beaten Webb in regular season a week earlier. Webb looked like this 1 Joe Nichols(ga tech) 2 Tony Ivins 3 John Fritts(UT) s 4 Shane Ivins 5 Clint Cope

 

Webb had there best team ever in 91 with the exact same lineup minus Cope and replaced with Blake McMeans( 8th grader).....lost to MUS in finals , up 3-2 going to doubles and with match tied 3-3 came down to 1 doubles and Nichols gets defaulted for cursing...tough way to lose a championship, Webb Boys have never won one

 

Woodruff best high school player Ive ever seen play, hands down

 

 

Thanks, dawgs. Great info.

 

BTW, that Germantown team of the early '80s featured Mark Herrington, two-time state singles champ, who I believe played college tennis for UT.