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07/05/2018 12:00 AMMatt Newfield went out for the Morgan boys’ tennis team as a sophomore and worked his way up the depth chart during his three seasons with the squad. This spring, Matt culminated his climb by carving out a place in Huskies’ history as he and fellow senior Pat Markovics became the first athletes from the team to earn All-State honors.
Matt played No. 1 doubles in his sophomore year and was bumped up to No. 3 singles last season. As a senior captain this year, Matt played No. 1 singles and posted a regular-season record of 9-9, while helping Morgan finish at 17-1 to share the Shoreline Conference title. Matt then competed in the singles bracket of the Shoreline Tournament and advanced to the championship match to make the All-Conference First Team.
However, Matt’s postseason journey was just getting started. Following Shorelines, he joined forces with Markovics to compete in the doubles draw at the Class S State Championship. The tandem won their first three matches to reach the final and solidify their spot on the All-State Team.
“It all started before the beginning of the year. The guys on the team went off on their own and hit indoors during the winter,” says Matt, who finished the year with an overall record of 15-11. “We all had the drive to win Shorelines, and I wanted to be an All-State athlete from the start of the season. The whole team never gave up on a match or point.”
Matt and Markovics didn’t have much time to develop their chemistry as a doubles duo, but the senior pairing wound up jelling pretty quickly. Matt says that he and Markovics complemented each other well when it came to their attributes on the court. He adds that they were both determined to make their way into the Morgan history books.
“Pat and I talked about being All-State and having our names on a banner in the gym,” Matt says. “We kept working on our shots all year. Pat had some amazing serves to make kids feel off-balanced, and then I was able to finish a point at the net. We are really good friends, and we were able to calm each other down. We always had the grit to finish out a point.”
Although it’s been a month, the All-State notoriety still hasn’t completely sunk in for Matt. Matt says earning that honor goes beyond what he and Markovics accomplished this spring. Matt feels their achievement is a product of all the hard work done by the Huskies throughout the campaign.
“Being one of the first players in Morgan boys’ tennis history to be All-State still hasn’t hit me, but I’m proud to be part of that history,” he says. “I wanted to show people that tennis is a real competitive sport and it matters in this town. It’s such a huge accomplishment.”
Morgan Head Coach Chris Zawadski says that Matt was an iron man for Morgan who had a knack for winning those grueling three-set matches. The coach also notes that Matt’s biggest priority was doing everything he could to help out his fellow Huskies.
“Matt is famous for playing long matches and grinding it out on the court. In the last two years, I can only remember him losing twice when the match went to a third set,” says Zawadski. “His athleticism and determination pushed him to his accomplishments. Even in an individual sport like tennis, he always put the team first. When he stepped off the court, the first thing he always asked is how is the team doing. Matt, and everything he brought to Morgan tennis, will be missed.”
Matt says that his tenure with Morgan boys’ tennis taught him a lot about the mentality of attacking challenges in life—whether it’s a forehand, a backhand, or even a final exam. Matt thanks his teammates, Coach Zawadski; his parents, Charlie and Carolyn; and Morgan Athletic Director Kevin Rayel for their support through the years.
“Playing tennis here has helped make me more aware of the mental side of the sport,” says Matt. “It’s helped make me reflect more on what I’m doing out there. It’s also helped me work under pressure in academics.”