Bhimireddy seeks to lead Orange back to state
Last year, coach Matt Rutherford led the Olentangy Orange boys team to its first Ohio Tennis Coaches Association Division I state tournament appearance. And much of his lineup is back.
“This is my 19th year (of coaching) and I’ve never had this much balance,” Rutherford said. “Our top five are all going to see time at singles. It’s difficult because we don’t have a clear No. 1 this year. They play in practice and all beat each other.”
The Pioneers lost to Sycamore 3-0 in last spring’s OTCA state final, and Orange’s Nikhil Bhimireddy headlines the list of 12 boys tennis players to watch this season:
Nikhil Bhimireddy, Olentangy Orange
Bhimireddy and 2023 graduate Kallan Arledge teamed to win a Division I sectional championship in doubles last season. They then finished third at district and fourth at state. Bhimireddy was 9-4 between first and second singles and first doubles for Orange.
Ben Bilenko, New Albany
Now a four-year stalwart in the Eagles’ lineup, Bilenko has reached three consecutive Division I state tournaments in doubles. Bilenko finished 22-4 as New Albany (14-2) won a 15th straight league championship.
Jackson Clements, New Albany
The junior looks to remain atop the Eagles’ lineup, coming off a season in which he played first singles and reached his first state tournament. Clements won 20 of 29 matches, was a sectional champion and third-place finisher at district before going 1-1 at state.
Liam Grennan, Watkins Memorial
The senior won a program-record 27 matches a season ago, advanced to the Division I district tournament and was a sectional runner-up. He also proved versatile for the Warriors, winning two doubles tournaments.
Henry Lessard, Bexley
A five-star recruit according to Tennisrecruiting.com, Lessard is the topranked freshman in the state and 32nd nationally. Henry and older brother Sam Lessard are expected to play first and second singles in some order, and coach Will Gingery expects them to team for doubles in the postseason.
Sam Lessard, Bexley
The junior, who has been his team’s top singles player the past two seasons, will seek his third Division II state tournament appearance. Lessard went 17-6 as a sophomore and won sectional and district doubles championships with 2023 graduate Stefan Schiff before finishing fourth at state.
Nason Lo, Columbus Academy
A sophomore, Lo is expected to play first or second singles and also be a strong doubles player. Lo and brother Rowen, a junior, were district runners-up in doubles and third at state a season ago.
Gianni Russo, Marysville
The junior began this season 2-0 at first singles, the spot at which he went 15-5 a year ago, and hopes to become the Monarchs’ first Division I state tournament qualifier. Russo is Tennisrecruiting.com’s No. 18 prospect statewide.
Nik Shough, Dublin Coffman
The junior is in his third season as the Shamrocks’ first-singles player. Shough started this season with three wins in as many matches after going 15-7 against a grueling schedule last year. Shough has lost in state-qualifying matches at district each of the past two seasons.
Sanjan Shanker, Wellington
The senior first-singles player won his first district singles championship last year, edging Academy’s Lucas Xue in three sets, and went 1-1 at state for the second time in three seasons.
Sujan Sriram, Olentangy
A senior, Sriram played first singles for most of the 2023 season for the Braves before shifting to doubles for his first state tournament run with 2023 graduate Mitch Macdowell. The duo won a Division I sectional championship, finished fourth at district and split two matches at state.
Lucas Xue, Columbus Academy
The junior went 20-6 last season, mostly at first singles, and probably will rotate between the top two courts with Nason Lo. Xue, who defeated several Division I players during the regular season, won a sectional title, finished second at district and split two matches at state.
dpurpura@dispatch.com