by  Tyler Boone ‘27 and Ryan Lichter ‘27

Sherwood is a school loaded with highly successful teams, which perhaps explains why tennis flies under the radar. Senior Jonathan Schmeidler was a core member on last year’s squad and is looking to make a statement this season and bring some more attention to boys tennis.

The team hopes to make a return to the Division Championship, which they won during the ‘24 season under Ethan Lichter’s absolutely outstanding senior year. The team was bumped up to see better competition after that great season. They remain in the same division as last year. This journey is not going to be easy, as the last time the team won before the ‘24 season was 2014. Schmeidler plans to follow in Lichter’s legendary footsteps as he learns the ways.

“Over the year we have all been practicing together, and I think overall the skill ceiling and floor were raised over the off-season,” said Schmeidler. He has showcased his leadership skills and believes that the team will make a jump. His strong presence on the court motivates his teammates and strengthens the team as a whole.

Just before spring break, Schmeidler went up against a tough Blair opponent and put up a great fight after a 6-6 tiebreaker and a losing three sets. His strong mental toughness and relentless work ethic allowed him to bounce back for a great win against a solid Einstein squad. With playoffs inching closer and closer by the day, Schmeidler will need to be in top form soon if he hopes to make a deep playoff run.

After taking the win against Einstein and falling short to Rockville, Schmeidler holds a 1-4 record. Although the record may not look good on paper, Schmeidler is competing very well. He knows a couple of losses don’t define him as a player.

Since Schmeidler is in his final year, he wants to make the most of his season. It’s very important to be fully locked in coming into each match, setting him up to be in good shape for a future playoff run. “Knowing I don’t have too many guaranteed games left, I try my hardest in each game,” said Schmeidler.

Getting locked in doesn’t start when he steps foot on the court; it starts before you arrive. “Music is my pregame hype, it helps drown the noise and calm the nerves, which allows me to play my best,” said Schmeidler.