Inductees

In a way, the tennis complex sitting behind Rock Bridge High School is an impressive site. After all, it’s here where they’ve install 12 — yes, 12 – courts and have done it right, with that blue and green colors like what you might find at the U.S. Open.

A place fit for a queen and king, if you will.

Then again, locals wouldn’t argue. See the list of state championships emblazoned on the far chain-link fence? It’s certainly intimidating if you’re a visiting player.

In other words, success is the norm here, and that’s why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame proudly inducted the Rock Bridge High School Tennis Program with the Class of 2019.

The Rock Bridge High School Tennis teams have combined for 21 state championships. The girls teams have earned 22 top three finishes in the past 25 years at the state tournament, with 13 state championships and nine state runners-up among them. The state titles are the second-most in state history and, specifically, cover the years 1982, 1983, 1984, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2010, 2011, 2014 through 2018.

The boys team has placed among the top four at the state tournament every year since 2002 (18 consecutive), with eight state championships and five state runners-up. The eight state titles cover 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Individual singles girls champions include Corinne Farid (2019), Kara Hickey (2004) as well as 10 doubles champions: Liz Sulsberger & Holly Chomyn (1982), Liz Sulzberger & Amy Snook (1983), Cheryl Hickey & Lindsay Gibson (1999), Cheryl Hickey & Kara Hickey (2001), Kara Hickey & Kristin Kornegay (2002), Kara Hickey & Whitney Reys (2003), Sarah Seltsam & Kristen Stople (2004), Sophie Farid & Phoebe Boeschen (2012), Faith Wright & Katherine Dudley (2016) and Corrine Farid & Eleanor Fay (2017).

Meanwhile, the boys program has had a state champion in Ford Zitsch (2012) and seven doubles state champions: Aaron Skinner & Blake Buchert (2008), Aaron Skinner & Blake Buchert (2009)m Sam Johnson & Joe LaRose (2010), Jimmy Hunter & Joe LaRose (2011), Jack Fay & Alex Jones (2012), Zach Grueber & Jake Fraunfelder (2018) and Luke Bouchard & Kavin Anand (2019).

The programs have been coached by Ben Loeb (MSHOF 2015) since 1994. Through October 9, 2019, Rock Bridge had a varsity dual meet record of 1,001 wins and only 108 losses. That’s a win percentage of 90 percent.

The 1999 girls team kick-started a tremendous run, as it marked the program’s first state title in 15 years and touched off a run of seven state championship over the next 19 years.

The 1999 Bruins girls team rallied to upset St. Joseph Academy, despite trailing 4-1 and almost not needing doubles matches.

The Bruins won the next singles match and then won all three doubles, despite each reaching a third set and ending in scores of 6-4 and 7-5.

“It was just a special team, a special year,” said then-standout Elly Swetz Bethune, who recalled that Loeb, for motivation, took the team to the basketball gym and pointed out the program’s last banners from the 1980s. “It seemed like all the stars aligned and it was truly meant to be.”

The same could be said about the tennis program, as it is the first high school program from Columbia to be inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.