Entering last year, the ETHS Table Tennis team had high hopes. They were coming off winning back-to-back Founders Cups and were looking to win their third, led by coaches Marx Succes and Franz Calixte. Despite coming up just short in the Cup last year, the team still has high hopes for the future with most players returning. This year, the Kits are looking to bounce back and improve.
“The goal is to start at a certain level, and we want to improve to get us ready for February,” stated Calixte.
Bouncing back won’t be easy. Other top teams in the state, such as Whitney Young and Stevenson, are also preparing for a big year. Evanston’s first test comes against Stevenson.
“Stevenson lost in the final last year, so that’s gonna be a great way to see where we are,” remarked Calixte.
While Evanston may not go to the state championship, they will still set their goals high and aim to reclaim the Founders Cup, the tournament for all the best teams in Illinois that didn’t make the state championship.
“We’re going to do everything we can to win that Founders Cup,” declared Calixte.
However, to go far, they need a captain who can lead them to victory. That player could be Senior Keegan Manning. Last year, Keegan Manning was a top player for the team, winning all his doubles matches along with former senior Owen Seaver at the Illinois-Wisconsin Border Showdown. Keegan will look to lead Evanston to a Founder’s Cup victory despite the graduation of beloved captain Seaver.
“It’s gonna be hard to fill those shoes with Owen’s leadership. Owen did everything last year,” voiced Calixte.
