The players on the Austin High Schools boys' tennis team faced their toughest adversary this year on the first day of practice: the weather.

Despite the dark clouds which hung over the young team for much of the season, they fought with the feisty competitive spirit known of all Packer teams in close match play not reflected by a record of 2-9.

"Although we had a losing record, the guys gave 100 percent each match, and made great improvement throughout the year," said first-year head coach Matt Cavanaugh.

The year opened in Decorah, Iowa, where the Packers pushed several matches to tiebreakers against the defending state champs, but were unable to capitalize against their more experienced foes, losing 7-0. The No. 4 singles player, freshman Tyler Hanson, suffered a debilitating knee injury in the season opener that thrust him to the sidelines where he watched for over two weeks.

The maneuvering of the lineup in the following weeks by Coach Cavanaugh was not enough to break the tide of bad luck as the Packers fell victim to both Faribault and Mankato East in two nailbiting 4-3 losses.

"Losing Tyler and having to jostle the lineup made it very difficult for us," Cavanaugh said. "Not having an experienced lineup proved fatal to us versus both Mankato East and Faribault."

As the weather released its grip on the team and injuries healed, the team settled into a consistent -- and noticeably improved -- lineup. Seniors Jesse Morgan and Jim Reetz teamed up halfway through the season at No. 2 doubles and soon became a dangerous duo, putting away opponents with the ease of seasoned veterans.

The No. 1 doubles team, Mike Cavanaugh (12) and Tucker Schieck (11), volleyed their way to four wins during the season, and played even the most formidable of opponents competitively. Cavanaugh was the only member of the team to win selection to the All-Conference team, an honor reserved for only 15 players in the Big Nine.

Luke Green (9) and Jack Lynch (8), the Pack's No. 3 doubles team, displayed maturity well beyond their years with a never-surrender style mirrored by a record with more three-set matches than any other slot on the team.

The Packer doubles teams silenced the roar of the much improved Albert Lea Tigers near the end of the season when Austin swept the doubles matches, and Nos. 3 and 4 singles players Andy Sundahl and Hanson added to the Packers' fury when they snagged wins to finalize the first team win of 5-2. A second team win followed only three days later at the Blue Earth invite, where the Pack narrowly escaped defeat with a close 4-3 team victory.

The Packers' young singles players weathered the storm of some of the state's best players this year and kept their heads up and eyes focused on the future. Cavanaugh said that while his Nos. 1 and 2 singles players -- Alex Huncek (11) and Michael Binder (10) -- are winless on the year, they are not defeated. The promising Nos. 3 and 4 singles players -- Sundahl and Hanson -- each finished the year hopeful with three wins.

"Overall I am happy with the way we improved throughout the season, and am looking forward to seeing what we can do as a team next year," Coach Cavanaugh said. "We are very young and that will pay off in the future.

No doubt, this was a learning year."

The Pack plays individual sections this Thursday in Rochester against the top-rated host Mayo Spartans and Eagan. Cavanaugh said he remains hopeful for good results.