In the realm of local tennis talent, several names stand out: among those are junior Jesse Hattrup and senior Colton Hulme. Both have solidified their respective statuses as top-tier players in the area, captivating audiences with their remarkable performance as the No. 1 and No. 2 players.
Hattrup continues to dominate the court with his experience as a top player: he enters this season as a junior and plays both No. 1 singles and doubles.
After playing consistently in the off-season, Hattrup is “really excited for this season.”
Although Hattrup currently plays at the No. 1 spot, his biggest competition is Hulme, who is ranked at 19th for most wins in program history. Both players have previously competed at the No. 1 spot on behalf of EHS and go back and forth between the rank.
“I definitely feel myself getting better every time that I play [Hattrup],” Hulme said. “I believe that as many times as we play, we get better to play other competition so it’s a win-win situation for both of us.”
On varsity, both Hattrup and Hulme continue to set an example for underclassmen. After losing only one senior last season in Michael Karibian, the dynamic of the team is reliant on both players’ leadership.
“Colton’s a vocal leader at times, but Jesse, he’s a very quiet kid on and off the court,” head coach Dave Lipe said. “Both boys always show up. Both boys always work hard and both boys always really want to win, so they set great examples.”
Despite their differing styles of leadership, both exemplify “commitment and hard work,” according to coach Lipe.
In addition to his talent as a player, Hulme believes that leadership is paramount. He leads the team in a chant prior to matches and ends practices by leading stretches.
“Without a leader, you are like a lost sheep, and you don’t know where to go,” Hulme told the Intelligencer. “You have to find that mentality of leadership and go from there.”
Recently, Hattrup and Hulme returned from a tournament at the United States Tennis Association Campus on March 22. According to Lipe, the trip provided athletes with ample playing experience leading up to their competitive conference season and helped the varsity team prepare for their frequent matches in Chicago.
“I think the trip to Florida will help us throughout the year, as we started off with really great competition,” coach Lipe said. “We want to play people that are at least as skilled as we are, so that’s going to prepare us not just for the conference, but really, for the whole regular season.”
After playing teams from Washington D.C. and Kentucky, Hattrup was one of six players who emerged with a win.
With a wave of cold weather at the end of March, the trip prepared the boys for the rest of their increasingly warm season.
“I think the trip [to Florida] helped us on a performance basis, and weather,” Hulme said. “Getting used to the hot climate with gusts of wind [and] seeing new competition from other schools allowed us to play our best tennis.”
Looking ahead, the healthy rivalry between Hattrup and Hulme promises to keep spectators on their feet. As both players vie for the top spot on the team, Edwardsville is expected to make a strong show in upcoming tournaments and matches.
“My expectation for the season is firstly to try to have fun and enjoy this last season,” Hulme said. “I want to show that [records] can be broken and play to the best of my ability.”
