Free State High was primed to start the boys tennis season until the threat of inclement weather forced the postponement of their opener.

The Firebirds were scheduled to open on Tuesday at Shawnee Mission South, but that dual was postponed until April 10. Now, FSHS will open on Wednesday at home against Baldwin.

“We were hoping to get started (on Tuesday),” fifth-year FSHS coach Jon Renberger said. “We were as ready to go as we could be. The weather and spring break certainly hindered things. It kind of felt like we had prepared as well or better than they had.”

Renberger plans to draw from 10 players to form the nucleus of his varsity.

“We have 10 guys right now who have put themselves in a position to be in the top six,” Renberger said.

Senior team captains Rishi Surana, Nick Potter and Drew Smith are among the top 10. Others figuring in the mix are juniors Alan Martinez, Ben Cropp, Matt Schwabauer, Eyad Safadi and Eric Sheu.

Martinez was Free State’s top singles player last season and ranks No. 1 this spring. Cropp was on the Firebirds’ No. 1 doubles team.

“They’re clearly asserting themselves,” Renberger said of his five juniors, who rank Nos. 1 through 5 on the team’s ladder.

Sophomores Bryan Maygers and Mark Whittemore could also figure in the rotation, Renberger said.

At the Sunflower League meet last year, Martinez finished sixth in No. 1 singles.

“There’s always the possibility I could play him in doubles,” Renberger said. “Right now I’d be playing him at one singles, Cropp and Schwabauer are possibly our No. 1 doubles team.”

With one senior gone from last year’s squad, Free State hopes to improve on last year’s fifth-place showing at league.

“We’ve got a pretty solid group of guys that love to play,” Renberger said. “They take some group lessons and some private workouts.

“We have a group of kids who will play on weekends and after practice when it’s not required. That’s helped us greatly.”

Elwell to lead LHS

Poor weather and spring break have taken a toll on the Lions’ practices.

LHS is scheduled to open on April 4 at Topeka West.

“We need PT, baby,” longtime LHS coach Dick Wedel said of the squad’s lack of practice time since drills began four weeks ago.

Junior Scott Elwell enters his second season as the Lions’ No. 1 singles player. Elwell was third at league and fourth at state as a sophomore.

Wedel returns his entire regional squad from a year ago. Jon Weygint is back after playing No. 2 singles. Brian Dobski and Jeff Cravens formed Lawrence’s No. 1 doubles team and Jeff Craig and Josh Berger were the No. 2 doubles team. Junior Owe Rambau, a foreign exchange student from Germany, is a newcomer who has impressed Wedel.

“We’ve played almost exclusively doubles,” Wedel said. “I’m going to be really picky on how they play doubles. They’ve played very little singles.

“I’m trying to get the partner at the net more involved instead of being a spectator. It’s more fun and more aggressive that way. We’re putting a heavy emphasis on serves, returns, volleys and attacking.”

Wedel will retire from teaching at the end of the school year to “help USD 497 get under the salary cap.”

Wedel has no intentions of giving up coaching tennis anytime soon.

“I think I’ll know it when I feel it,” he said.