Ferris senior preparing for one last run to the state tournament

SPOKANE, Wash. — With the spring sports season coming to a close, local seniors are trying to extend their careers and make a run at the state tournaments.  That’s exactly the case for Ferris Senior Jeremy LaSalle who’s risen through the ranks for tennis in the Greater Spokane League.

“My dad plays tennis a lot so I’ve been playing with him for a while, played with my brother too, my grandpa, so just a way to spend time with family,” LaSalle said.

Coming into high school, LaSalle mostly played tennis for fun. Now, four years later, he’s found himself as the number one seeded player in the GSL District Tournament after an undefeated regular season.

“It’s good to know that my hard work is paying off and it’s fun to play against people who are also good. We got a lot of good players in the GSL,” said LaSalle.

“He’s developed, when he started he was excellent, but he was smaller. He played basketball also, and with basketball, it ended up giving him more strength every year,” added his head coach Jim Utzinger.

Playing multiple sports has not only helped Jeremy with his physical game, but also the mental aspect as well.  Being described as calm and collected out on the court.

“Might as well not beat yourself so keep the composure, keep playing the match one point at a time. So I think that definitely helps me succeed on the court,”

The resume for Jeremy extends far beyond just sports, as he also is a member of the school band, and also maintains an above 4.0 GPA, as he has his eyes set on starting his freshman year at Notre Dame in the Fall.

“My dad went there, so it was really good to get in there and I think it’s going to be a lot of fun, going to the football games. Big football fan there so I’m excited,” said LaSalle.

If you would like to nominate a shining star, send us an email to sports@old.kxly.com

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