Aberdeen Central will not be short on experience this tennis season. The Golden Eagles return five players who have seen varsity action, including many who spent hours on the court this past summer.

Avery Tennant, Chloe Ladner, Sarah Knie, Estelle Riggs, and Mady Holman have all been a part of the Central program in the past.

“That’s five people with varsity experience,” said Central coach John Vogel. “We’re doing OK.”

The Golden Eagles start their season with four duals in Pierre this weekend. While things may not be set in stone by then, Vogel said the early part of the season tends to be a work in progress.

“We’re still not exactly sure where everyone’s going to be but we’ve got til Friday and even then Friday, they’re matches, but they’re just matches against different teams,” Vogel said. “We’ve changed things before, even after Sioux Falls (the next weekend). We give ourselves a couple matches to see what we look like against other people and then we’ll go.”

One of the bright spots of the summer has been the doubles play of eighth-grader Sarah Knie and freshman Estelle Riggs. The duo won multiple tournaments.

“They’re doing great. … They work well together,” Vogel said.

Knie and Riggs will play at second flight doubles.

“It’s going to be fun watching those two get better and better,” Vogel said, “because they have gotten way better since last year.”

Senior Annaliese Wells will round out the top six singles spot.

Central currently has three freshmen who will like play seven, eight and nine in the singles lineup.

The Golden Eagles open their season Friday against perennial power Rapid City Stevens and Spearfish, before facing Rapid City Central and Rapid City Christian on Saturday.

“I like that,” Vogel said of a demanding early season schedule. “At the same time it might be a bit annoying to start out with Stevens, but it’s just fun to see where you match up against a really, really good team right away.”

Central is two years removed from winning the Eastern South Dakota Conference Tournament with a runner-up finish the year before that. The Golden Eagles were fourth a year ago.

“We got fourth in ESD even though they all got fourth or above,” Vogel said.

He said the goal is a top three finish at conference. He pointed to Mitchell and Yankton as top teams in the ESD.

“I hope we surprise Mitchell and Yankton and be top three,” Vogel said, “and then be right up there battling for a podium at state.”

Vogel has a good grasp on what his players are capable of accomplishing – even the younger players who won’t crack the varsity lineup this season – because they were allowed to practice with the varsity in the past.

“We’ve known most of these players for years and that’s kind of the idea,” Vogel said. “Hey, you got to see all that success we had two years ago. Most of these girls were here watching that, so now it’s their turn.”