Horvath to lead Eagles

Senior Will Horvath, a first team All Three Rivers Athletic Conference selection, is one of seven returning lettermen to the Clay tennis team. Last year, the Eagles finished 12-5 and third in the TRAC.

Coach Walt Ralph, entering his 29th year, says that Horvath is “one of the better singles players in the area.” Horvath will play college tennis at Baldwin-Wallace.

In all his years coaching tennis, Ralph says he has never coached anyone like Horvath. He immediately made an impact on the Clay lineup when he joined the tennis team three years ago.

Horvath has been the Eagles’ No. 1 singles player since his freshman year, starting his freshman season he won 75% of his matches playing against every team’s best player, and even beating St. Francis’ top guy. 

Horvath was 24-8 his junior year and placed third in a Three Rivers Athletic Conference loaded with quality players from St. John’s, which in the past decade has won every league championship except one. 

Entering this season, Horvath was 44-17 for his career, taking into consideration there was no 2020 season because of a global pandemic.

“He is still heading towards breaking a school record for wins. He would be headed towards obliterating the record with a fourth year of competing,” Ralph said.

Ralph says he brings back an experienced team, too, with lots of depth, including a strong nine-member senior class. Other seniors are Caleb Bench, Chantah Chanthakhan, Eric Donofrio, Cody Keller, Jason O’Connor, Alexander Ray, Eric Row and Kurt Wells.

Varsity juniors include Caden Conley, Blake Dayton, and Hal Waganfeald, and the lone freshman is Pierson Leonhardt.