White County Tennis Sets Sights on 2026 Success

The White County High School tennis program enters the 2026 season with veteran leadership, growing depth, and a clear plan for advancing deep into postseason play.

Head coach Topher Wiles, who has coached tennis nearly every year since 2008, continues his work with the Warriors and Warriorettes after joining the program in 2022. He credits Assistant Principal Amy Hawkins, who is in her third season with the program, as an essential part of the team’s success.

“Her role as assistant coach may be better titled Chief Operations Officer,” Wiles said. “While she is an astute evaluator of the game, she also brings that needed perspective of a female coach to our program that helps our program reach new heights of success.”

Optional practices began back in September, giving the team ample time to prepare. Wiles said the group has been working to strengthen the statistical areas that give them an edge. In singles, that includes increasing cross-court rally tolerance and improving the height and depth of rally balls after their Serve+1 approach. Doubles training has centered on cleaner communication and synchronized net movement, with the goal of creating what Wiles calls a stronger “wall up front.”

This year’s group returns players who have been developing together for four years through the middle and high school programs. That continuity, Wiles says, creates a level of camaraderie and team comfort that is essential in a sport built on individual and pair performance.

“You can’t help but have a good time when you are playing with our team,” he added.

Leadership runs through all grade levels, beginning with seniors Loralei Bouldin and John Durfee, who bring what Wiles describes as “battle-hardened experience” to the lineup. Juniors Tegan Rittenberry and Ethan Wiles provide offensive strength, while sophomores Sadie Benningfield and Jagger Osborne have developed defensive styles that force opponents to hit “that extra ball for more mistakes.” Freshmen Katelyn Howard and Seth Smith offer versatility and court awareness well beyond their age. Wiles said the range of styles across the roster makes the team difficult to prepare for and helps them stay balanced on offense and defense.

Even with strong experience and leadership, White County knows challenges await. With the shift to a smaller classification, the expectations inside the district are high, but Wiles stresses that the real battles will come in the postseason.

“The biggest challenge ahead is getting the quality gameplay that will grow us toward our postseason regional and sectional goals,” he explained. The team anticipates performing well in district play, but the regional tournament looms as their toughest test.

The goals for the season are clear and ambitious. White County aims to finish first in the district, win the region, and advance both a boy and a girl to the sectional tournament. Beyond the wins, Wiles is focused on the personal growth of his players.

“We want development and maturity in these athletes as competitors who grow in resilience in the face of adversity,” he said. He also hopes to see continued growth in how players treat one another, adding, “Love and service are the starting points of the tennis game.”

You can follow along all season long as Main Street Journal - Sparta brings you FREE coverage of the White County tennis teams including game recaps, big play highlights, and seeding updates thanks to Sparta Heating & Air Conditioning.