Junior Amelia Napiorkowski and senior Lindsay Jurcenko are the first Kaneland varsity tennis team to ever attend a state competition.

Though the pair did not place, both said they tried their hardest and are proud of how they played.

“I felt honored that we were the first team to ever attend state,” Jurcenko said.

Jurcenko said that she has enjoyed playing tennis in high school but is unsure if she will continue with tennis through college. This doesn’t mean she is giving up tennis forever, though.

“I’ll hit some balls every once in a while,” Jurcenko said. “I have really enjoyed playing tennis at Kaneland. Tennis is always number one for me, and I feel like where I belong is on the courts.”

Jurcenko and Napiorkowski began the season as the Knight’s top singles players, but they made the decision with Coach Tim Larsen to play doubles for sectionals, since the singles competition was so steep. Larsen said that everyone knew the singles bracket was going to be very competitive, but they also knew that girls were a good match for a doubles team with their talent.

“Having them play doubles was a gamble,” he said. “So the three of us talked on every change over about where to hit the ball and what to look for from the other team and to keep their emotions in check because they were nervous, just like me.”

Napiorkowski said playing with Jurcenko, who she had paired up with during a few earlier competitions, was a relief in some ways.

“Playing doubles is not as much pressure because people are not expecting everything of just you,” she said.

This is Larsen’s fourteenth season coaching, and no tennis player in Kaneland history has ever made it as far as Jurcenko and Napiorkowski have this season. “I’m still not quite over the fact that we went to state. It was a great experience, and it takes a while to set in,” Larsen said.

Jurcenko and Napiorkowski lost two matches, their first and third, but they beat Hampshire with the final scores 6-0 and 6-4. Their losses were to Rosary and Danville.

Larsen said that by beating Hampshire, the girls proved that they belonged at the competition.

Next year’s season will come with new players and some seasoned veterans, including Napiorkowski, who will continue playing.

“I hate to lose Lindsay and the other seniors, but most of the varsity is returning, we’re going to have a good season next year,” Larsen said. “It’s great that Amelia is going to be on the team. [She] has the experience of going to state that the other girls will be able to hear about.”