Quinten Gillespie had great success during his freshman season playing with a more defensive style, but he’s ready to start going on the attack.
After posting a 20-4 record last season at the top of Whiteland’s lineup, Gillespie worked in the offseason to add some more offensive punch to his game.
“It’s getting bigger and knowing I can hit bigger shots instead of playing defensive, defensive, defensive,” he said. “This summer I really realized that if I want to become really good, I have to start playing offensive.”
At 5-foot-10 and 130 pounds, Gillespie isn’t an imposing presence on the courts. He has, however, gained strength and confidence since his varsity debut this time last year.
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“It’s all motion and how you hit the ball. You don’t have to be big to be good.”
Quinten is the oldest of Mike and Jenny Gillespie’s three sons, each of whom has been carrying around a tennis racket since they were toddlers. Quinten, still only 15, in time expects to be followed in the program by siblings Spencer, a sixth-grader, and Grady, who is in second grade.
Mike Gillespie is starting his 17th season as Whiteland’s coach. The Warriors open the regular season at home on Aug. 14 against New Palestine.
“The biggest thing is his competitiveness. He really, really competes about as well as anyone I’ve ever been around,” the coach said of his oldest son. “You’re born with it. My three boys are all a little bit different with their competitiveness. They all display it differently.
“Our expectations are really for the program, so (Quinten) is included in with that. We focus on competing, playing well, having fun and being a good person. But I knew there was a pretty good chance he could have a good (freshman) season.”
The Warriors finished 16-5 last season, making it all the way to the championship match of the Center Grove Sectional before losing to the host Trojans, 4-1. Following the season, Quinten Gillespie became the 14th player in the history of Whiteland boys tennis to earn All-District honors.
Three players graduated from the Warriors’ program, though No. 2 singles player Caleb Scott was the lone senior starter.
“I think we did pretty well. We had some tough matches, some we probably could have won, and some we pulled through,” Quinten Gillespie said. “But, looking back, it was really fun. I think we did really well for the team we had.”
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A look at Johnson County’s high school boys tennis teams:
Center Grove Trojans
Coach: Ivan Smith
Last year: 13-10; won county, sectional and regional titles, lost to Park Tudor at semistate
Key returnees: Nic Ballesteros, J.T. Embrey, Mitch Runkel and Trey Thixton, seniors; Grant Herron and Mason Runkel, juniors; Landen Finlinson and Dhrumil Patel, sophomores
Top newcomer: Matthew Sauter, freshman
Outlook: Starting his 42nd season as head coach, Smith returns all but one player from last season’s semistate qualifier. “This year is the culmination of kind of starting over,” Smith said. “Three years ago we won five matches and the next year we won four before winning 13 last season. We’re hoping we can cap off this run with a strong season.”
Edinburgh Lancers
Coach: Pete Khensouri
Last year: 4-13; lost to Columbus North in sectional semifinal
Key returnees: Bladen Hancock and Coltan Henderson, seniors; Brayden McManaway, junior
Top newcomer: Isaiah Estes, junior
Outlook: The Lancers currently have only four players, though Khensouri is hopeful more join his program before the season starts. “If we have four, we’ll play No. 1 doubles and Nos. 1 and 2 singles,” he said. “This is my 20th year coaching at Edinburgh and this is the first time we’ve started with less than seven players.”
Franklin Grizzly Cubs
Coach: Jacob Zachary
Last year: Lost to Greenwood in sectional opener
Key returnees: Adam Johnson, Jonathan Ott and Josiah Rockey, seniors; Nathan Tyler, junior; Jackson Klem, sophomore
Top newcomers: Sam Auger, Nolan Netter, Joseph Ott and Zion Parkhurst, freshmen
Outlook: Former Grizzly Cub Zachary, 21, will lead a mostly inexperienced squad in his first season as head coach. “I’m really excited to get back into the program,” he said. “We just want to get better every match we have this season.”
Greenwood Woodmen
Coach: Jeremy Runge
Last year: 13-2; won Mid-State Conference title, lost to Center Grove in sectional semifinal
Key returnees: Jacob Rothaar, senior; Ben Sobieray, junior; Nick Belovic, Charlie Brooks and Ethan Gray, sophomores
Top newcomers: Joey Brazelton, Dalton Kuhn and Tyvon Moore, sophomores; Garrett Appleget, Sam Fenner, Garrett Lapinski and Aiden Luttrell, freshmen
Outlook: The Woodmen graduated two of their three singles players but return enough talent to make a run at another league title. “I expect us to be really competitive,” Runge said. “We should be strong in doubles and pretty good across the board.”
Indian Creek Braves
Coach: Dave Broshears
Last year: 5-10; lost to Whiteland in sectional semifinal
Key returnees: Hunter Ankney, Brett Conner, Dustin Hamblen and Cody Hart, seniors; Jake Mitchell, sophomore
Top newcomers: Cass Mitchell, freshman.
Outlook: Last season’s No. 3 singles player, Jake Mitchell, is the likely new No. 1 for the Braves. Meanwhile, seniors Ankney and Hamblen have been playing doubles together since they were freshmen. “We do have some talented players,” Broshears said. “I’m starting to feel a little better about the team, to be honest.”
Whiteland Warriors
Coach: Mike Gillespie
Last year: 16-5, lost to Center Grove in sectional final
Who’s back: Corey Ullrich, senior; Wesley Hawk, Garrison Pelfree, Lane Stephenson and Kyle Zajac, juniors; Caidyn Baumann, Christian Felker, Quinten Gillespie, Josh Pitts and Travis Robinson, sophomores
Top newcomers: Luke DeWitt, junior; Michael Davis, Corbin Grantham and Dylan Gross, freshmen
Outlook: There are four players vying for the three singles spots, including sophomore Quinten Gillespie, the Warriors’ No. 1 last fall. “My expectations are the same every year,” Mike Gillespie said. “Our focus is competing every point, playing well, having fun and being a good person.”
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