| Varsity Spring 2009 Weekly Update June 16th |
I am very pleased to announce in this end of the season update that for the 3rd straight year that the MUHS
Hilltoppers are the WIAA Division I State Champions! Our trip this past weekend to the Nielsen Center in Madison for
the WIAA Team State Tournament was the culmination our players have been working hard all season for, and being
able to take home the State Title on top of this accomplishment is something our players will never forget. This State
Championship is also the 27th in our program’s history.
I am very happy with our team for playing their best tennis on the biggest stage and being able to deal with the
pressure successfully. The pressure this year was different in that we were fully expected to win and anything shy of
that would have been disappointing to the players and would have been a surprise to the high school tennis
community. But our team embraced this goal and represented themselves and their school well by focusing on
smaller goals along the way and on constantly improving rather than being overwhelmed by the larger goal of
winning a third consecutive Team State Championship.
In the first round, we defeated Eau Claire Memorial 6-1. Our doubles teams lost only six games and our singles
helped to lead the team to the semi-finals. Tim Noack gave us the fourth, go-ahead win into the semifinals with a 6-
1, 6-0 definitive victory.
Brett Felzien lost an extremely close match 3-6, 6-1, 6-7 (1). Brett was able to dominate in the second set and
frustrated his opponent with consistently deep groundstroke and relentless attacking. The third set featured
numerous changes of momentum and each competitor would not give up. Brett fought off a couple match points on
his serve at 5-6 to take it to a tiebreak, but his opponent played flawlessly in that final stretch, hitting winners and
catching several lines from all angles of the court. Brett represented our team very well at this #4 Singles position,
but ran into three extremely consistent and solid players over this Team State weekend.
In the semifinals, we faced off against Greater Metro Conference rival Brookfield Central. Our doubles teams again
set the tone for the match by winning two of three matches. Alex Sykes and Ethan Niquet defeated Brookfield
Central’s #1 doubles team 6-0, 6-3. Our #2 doubles team of Joe Sladky and Ben Robey lost in a close three set
match 3-6, 6-1, 3-6 to Central’s team who was seeded ahead of them at Individual State. Mac Mulcahy and Jack
Porritt fought their way through a close 6-4, 6-4 victory and relied heavily on their quick hands and teamwork to
come out on top. Brett Felzien also battled through a tough match to Central’s impossibly consistent #4 singles
player (2-6, 0-6). Tim Noack finished his match a few minutes before his teammate at #2 singles, Nelson Vick, won a
decisive match (6-1, 6-2), to once again clinch the team’s advancement to the finals with a 6-2, 6-3 win at #3
singles. Billy Bertha earned the team’s fifth win in the semi-finals with a 6-1, 6-1 victory at #1 singles.
Mac Mulcahy and Jack Porritt were the key position for us against Brookfield Central all year. Jack moved over from
singles to team with Mac and Mac did an excellent job in relaying the intricacies of doubles tactics to Jack all year.
Brookfield Central altered their doubles lineup three times at the end of the season to try and find a combination that
would possibly be able to challenge Mac and Jack, however this proved ineffective as our #3 Doubles team was able
to defeat all challengers. In the first set, Mac and Jack went up two breaks serving at 5-2 when Jack was broken due
to four perfectly placed returns. Mac calmly served out the first set to win 6-4. The second set featured several very
long points, but Mac and Jack played very smart tennis and kept each other focused and positive and were able to
come through with another 6-4 victory, this time with Jack serving it out. Mac and Jack finished the year with the best
record of our doubles tandems at 33-1. Our doubles lineup was definitely a strength this year, but having Mac and
Jack anchoring the team was something that no team in the state could compete with.
Going into the finals, we faced Middleton; a team we faced once in a head-to-head dual (winning 4-3 without our full
lineup) and multiple times in flighted tournament play. Our #1 doubles team rolled to a quick and impressive victory
(6-1, 6-2). Our #2 and #3 doubles got off to a slower start, but quickly refocused to win in straight sets. Brett Felzien
fought through two sets at #4 singles but lost the match 2-6, 2-6. Tim Noack and Nelson Vick took the court at #3
and #2 singles respectively. Tim Noack dismantled his opponent 6-0, 6-0 to garner the most important match, and
once again clinched the Championship title with the fourth victory for the team. Nelson Vick added the fifth victory
with a 6-1, 6-0 victory and Billy tacked on the sixth team win in two sets (6-1, 6-1).
Tim Noack clinched the Team State title for MUHS for the third consecutive season. Additionally, Tim has clinched
seven of nine matches for us in the Team tournaments over the last three seasons including all three matches this
year. Tim was very efficient in his final match this year hitting winners and passing shots past his opponent at will.
Joe Sladky and Ben Robey played excellent tennis in the second set and were able to overcome a slow start against
a team that was playing about as well as they could against Middleton. Joe and Ben finished their season very
strong with a 2nd place finish at Individual State and two important wins at Team State. Finally, Alex Sykes and
Ethan Niquet were on a roll on Saturday providing two impressive key wins for us at #1 Doubles against BC and
Middleton. Alex and Ethan lost only five games in total to two excellent teams (the 4th and 8th seeds at Individual
State) and propel us to the state championship.
We also acknowledge the extra efforts of players each season in various categories, voted by the coaching staff.
These awards were announced and handed out at the end of the season party we had Saturday night at the Noack
residence. Listed below are the 2009 recipients:
Hardest Working Player – Mac Mulcahy (’09)
Most Improved Player – Jack Porritt (’11) and Billy Bertha (’09)
“Mike Hutz (’06)” Team Supporter Award – Joe Sladky (’09)
Best Sportsmanship – Tim Noack (’10)
Most Adaptable Player – Ethan Niquet (’10)
I also want to congratulate the graduating seniors and wish them well in their future endeavors. All five of these
players contributed significantly to our team and represented the school well throughout their MUHS Tennis careers.
Listed below are their career records for our Varsity Team.
Ben Robey – 2 years Varsity – 31-7 (81%)
Brett Felzien – 2 years Varsity – 23-20 (53%)
Mac Mulcahy – 2 years Varsity – 56-6 (90%)
Joe Sladky – 4 years Varsity – 86-21 (80%)
Billy Bertha – 4 years Varsity – 98-7 (93%)
All of our seniors contributed to the season and the State Championship. We will miss their leadership and
personalities, but are thankful for their contributions to the MUHS Tennis program over their years at Marquette
University High School.
Our team is very fortunate to have such a great fan base. Thank you again for your support throughout the
season. We will make changes and additions to the website over the summer, so please check back with the site
from time to time. And please email any pictures you would like to see on the website! I hope everyone has a great
summer.
Thank you,
David R. Frank
Hilltoppers are the WIAA Division I State Champions! Our trip this past weekend to the Nielsen Center in Madison for
the WIAA Team State Tournament was the culmination our players have been working hard all season for, and being
able to take home the State Title on top of this accomplishment is something our players will never forget. This State
Championship is also the 27th in our program’s history.
I am very happy with our team for playing their best tennis on the biggest stage and being able to deal with the
pressure successfully. The pressure this year was different in that we were fully expected to win and anything shy of
that would have been disappointing to the players and would have been a surprise to the high school tennis
community. But our team embraced this goal and represented themselves and their school well by focusing on
smaller goals along the way and on constantly improving rather than being overwhelmed by the larger goal of
winning a third consecutive Team State Championship.
In the first round, we defeated Eau Claire Memorial 6-1. Our doubles teams lost only six games and our singles
helped to lead the team to the semi-finals. Tim Noack gave us the fourth, go-ahead win into the semifinals with a 6-
1, 6-0 definitive victory.
Brett Felzien lost an extremely close match 3-6, 6-1, 6-7 (1). Brett was able to dominate in the second set and
frustrated his opponent with consistently deep groundstroke and relentless attacking. The third set featured
numerous changes of momentum and each competitor would not give up. Brett fought off a couple match points on
his serve at 5-6 to take it to a tiebreak, but his opponent played flawlessly in that final stretch, hitting winners and
catching several lines from all angles of the court. Brett represented our team very well at this #4 Singles position,
but ran into three extremely consistent and solid players over this Team State weekend.
In the semifinals, we faced off against Greater Metro Conference rival Brookfield Central. Our doubles teams again
set the tone for the match by winning two of three matches. Alex Sykes and Ethan Niquet defeated Brookfield
Central’s #1 doubles team 6-0, 6-3. Our #2 doubles team of Joe Sladky and Ben Robey lost in a close three set
match 3-6, 6-1, 3-6 to Central’s team who was seeded ahead of them at Individual State. Mac Mulcahy and Jack
Porritt fought their way through a close 6-4, 6-4 victory and relied heavily on their quick hands and teamwork to
come out on top. Brett Felzien also battled through a tough match to Central’s impossibly consistent #4 singles
player (2-6, 0-6). Tim Noack finished his match a few minutes before his teammate at #2 singles, Nelson Vick, won a
decisive match (6-1, 6-2), to once again clinch the team’s advancement to the finals with a 6-2, 6-3 win at #3
singles. Billy Bertha earned the team’s fifth win in the semi-finals with a 6-1, 6-1 victory at #1 singles.
Mac Mulcahy and Jack Porritt were the key position for us against Brookfield Central all year. Jack moved over from
singles to team with Mac and Mac did an excellent job in relaying the intricacies of doubles tactics to Jack all year.
Brookfield Central altered their doubles lineup three times at the end of the season to try and find a combination that
would possibly be able to challenge Mac and Jack, however this proved ineffective as our #3 Doubles team was able
to defeat all challengers. In the first set, Mac and Jack went up two breaks serving at 5-2 when Jack was broken due
to four perfectly placed returns. Mac calmly served out the first set to win 6-4. The second set featured several very
long points, but Mac and Jack played very smart tennis and kept each other focused and positive and were able to
come through with another 6-4 victory, this time with Jack serving it out. Mac and Jack finished the year with the best
record of our doubles tandems at 33-1. Our doubles lineup was definitely a strength this year, but having Mac and
Jack anchoring the team was something that no team in the state could compete with.
Going into the finals, we faced Middleton; a team we faced once in a head-to-head dual (winning 4-3 without our full
lineup) and multiple times in flighted tournament play. Our #1 doubles team rolled to a quick and impressive victory
(6-1, 6-2). Our #2 and #3 doubles got off to a slower start, but quickly refocused to win in straight sets. Brett Felzien
fought through two sets at #4 singles but lost the match 2-6, 2-6. Tim Noack and Nelson Vick took the court at #3
and #2 singles respectively. Tim Noack dismantled his opponent 6-0, 6-0 to garner the most important match, and
once again clinched the Championship title with the fourth victory for the team. Nelson Vick added the fifth victory
with a 6-1, 6-0 victory and Billy tacked on the sixth team win in two sets (6-1, 6-1).
Tim Noack clinched the Team State title for MUHS for the third consecutive season. Additionally, Tim has clinched
seven of nine matches for us in the Team tournaments over the last three seasons including all three matches this
year. Tim was very efficient in his final match this year hitting winners and passing shots past his opponent at will.
Joe Sladky and Ben Robey played excellent tennis in the second set and were able to overcome a slow start against
a team that was playing about as well as they could against Middleton. Joe and Ben finished their season very
strong with a 2nd place finish at Individual State and two important wins at Team State. Finally, Alex Sykes and
Ethan Niquet were on a roll on Saturday providing two impressive key wins for us at #1 Doubles against BC and
Middleton. Alex and Ethan lost only five games in total to two excellent teams (the 4th and 8th seeds at Individual
State) and propel us to the state championship.
We also acknowledge the extra efforts of players each season in various categories, voted by the coaching staff.
These awards were announced and handed out at the end of the season party we had Saturday night at the Noack
residence. Listed below are the 2009 recipients:
Hardest Working Player – Mac Mulcahy (’09)
Most Improved Player – Jack Porritt (’11) and Billy Bertha (’09)
“Mike Hutz (’06)” Team Supporter Award – Joe Sladky (’09)
Best Sportsmanship – Tim Noack (’10)
Most Adaptable Player – Ethan Niquet (’10)
I also want to congratulate the graduating seniors and wish them well in their future endeavors. All five of these
players contributed significantly to our team and represented the school well throughout their MUHS Tennis careers.
Listed below are their career records for our Varsity Team.
Ben Robey – 2 years Varsity – 31-7 (81%)
Brett Felzien – 2 years Varsity – 23-20 (53%)
Mac Mulcahy – 2 years Varsity – 56-6 (90%)
Joe Sladky – 4 years Varsity – 86-21 (80%)
Billy Bertha – 4 years Varsity – 98-7 (93%)
All of our seniors contributed to the season and the State Championship. We will miss their leadership and
personalities, but are thankful for their contributions to the MUHS Tennis program over their years at Marquette
University High School.
Our team is very fortunate to have such a great fan base. Thank you again for your support throughout the
season. We will make changes and additions to the website over the summer, so please check back with the site
from time to time. And please email any pictures you would like to see on the website! I hope everyone has a great
summer.
Thank you,
David R. Frank