After a very successful, record-setting 2001 season, Metamora put together a remarkable follow-up campaign in 2002.  The ’01 team could only claim “best ever” status for a single year, as the ’02 group dominated its competition in a manner unlike any other in the first 17 years of Redbird tennis.  Despite losing its top two players from the previous year, the Redbirds entered the ’02 season with a wealth of experience, including lettermen Ty Wyffels, Joe Harris, Kyle Shoff, Andy Ngo, and Tony Winkler.  Junior Andy Laird and freshman Nate Rauh also contributed mightily to the successful season, giving the line-up great depth in addition to the strength at the top.

Once again, the Redbirds had highlights too numerous to list.  The most significant achievement was recording wins over Morton and Dunlap in the same season for the first time.  Metamora reeled off 8 consecutive wins to begin the season and ended with a sparkling school-record 14 wins against only 2 defeats.  Tournament play was also good to Metamora, as the Redbirds finished 3rd in the newly formed Red & White Invitational, 1st in the Peoria Invite, 5th in the rugged Bloomington Invite, and 2nd at the Metamora Sectional.  In the sectional, Metamora scored 28 points, just 1 point shy of Dunlap and the school’s first sectional title.  Certainly, this will be a point of emphasis over the next 12 months.

Twelve of the fourteen victories were shutouts in 2002, bettering the old record of five and establishing a mark which will be difficult to ever duplicate.  Included among the victories were a 9-0 win against Peoria Notre Dame and an 8-0 win over Pekin, the latter being Metamora’s first ever match against the Dragons.

Individually, the season was remarkable as well.  Five players recorded 35 or more wins; two short seasons ago, the school record for wins in a season was 35.  This year, Kyle Shoff established a new mark with 42 and Tony Winkler was right behind with 40.  Joe Harris checked in with 38, Ty Wyffels had 36, and Andy Ngo 35.  Ty Wyffels was the singles champion at the Peoria Invite, and Joe Harris and Kyle Shoff beat teammates Tony Winkler and Andy Ngo for the doubles crown.  Ty also won the school’s first sectional singles championship, defeating Tony Winkler in the all-Metamora final.  Joe Harris and Kyle Shoff finished fourth at the sectional in doubles, giving the Redbirds a record four state qualifiers in ’02.

At the state tournament, the doubles team of Harris and Shoff had the best results, using four victories to place themselves in the top 32 in the state to earn honorable mention All-State status.  As a team, Metamora finished 38th at the state meet, one of very few schools with less than 1500 students in the top 50.

The Mid-Illini Conference was once again ridiculously good as a whole.  Dunlap and Morton recorded 8-2 league marks to tie Metamora for the regular season title; Dunlap finished 15-2 overall while Morton was 11-2.  The Eagles won the Metamora Sectional and advanced five players to state, finishing 20th as a team.  Their top doubles team of Jared Kunkle and Greg Davis gave the Mid-Illini its first top eight finish in history with a 7th-8th showing.  Despite this excellent doubles team, Morton fielded a duo which defeated Dunlap’s team twice on the way to a Mid-Illini doubles title and state berth.  Limestone also had its first qualifier in school history, with Mike Nelson finishing fourth at the sectional in singles.  To put into perspective the domination of Dunlap, Morton, and Metamora, consider that, in the past two years, those three teams have combined for a record of 66-0 in matches not involving each other.

Ty Wyffels was named the team’s Most Valuable Player.  Andy Ngo received the Most Dedicated Player award, and Andy Laird was dubbed Most Improved Player.  To cap off the season, Wyffels and Kyle Shoff were elected to the seven-person All Conference team as well.

Metamora’s lone senior, Tony Winkler, finished his career with a wonderful singles record of 41-12 and a doubles mark of 49-21, and his absence will certainly be felt next year.  However, the returning nucleus of talent as well as an emerging group of freshmen and sophomores should propel the 2003 Redbirds to accomplishments only dreamed of in past seasons.