About three weeks ago, Boston Davolt thought he could be a state tennis player.

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Davolt had confidence about what could happen then but made it actually happen on Saturday when the Mexico senior qualified for the Class 1 boys tennis state tournament. He finished second in the Class 1 District 3 individual tournament on Friday and Saturday in Mexico to make it three straight years the program has sent a player to state.

Davolt will compete in the state tournament May 15-17 at Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield for the first time in his career in what he calls his biggest personal accomplishment. During a four-year-long process, Davolt said he improved some bits of technique to the point he “figured it all out,” which was three months ago.

“Some of the biggest things are actually the little details like your form and how you swing,” Davolt said. “If you change the way you’re holding the racket one small way or if you swing a little bit differently, the whole form and everything changes. It can screw you up or make you win.”

While he was losing matches in the past three weeks, Davolt said he was facing harder opponents and doing better against them than in recent years. 

“I had to find my own style,” Davolt said. “Once I memorized it, it was pretty easy and I was able to pinpoint what I was doing wrong.”

In his first two matches on Friday, Davolt won 6-0, 6-0 and then 6-1, 6-2 before he advanced via forfeit on Saturday and lost in two sets to Columbia Independent's Wyatt Litton in the district championship match. Brixton Goerne earned all-district honors after finishing third by winning both of his Friday matches 6-4, 6-2 and 6-2, 6-2. Goerne also lost in two sets to Litton on Saturday. 

Head coach Tony Senor said he is happy that the program will be represented at state for the third straight year after Brendan McKeown qualified each of the past two years. Senor thought weeks ago that Davolt would be going to state.

“We played St. Charles West’s No. 1 (player) at our home tournament, and Boston beat him 8-4,” Senor said. “That boosted my confidence and my trust in him to make it to state. Then we played St. Charles on Good Friday, and he ended up beating their No. 1, who is a really good player, 8-4 as well.”

Senor said Mexico still had to face Moberly, Kirksville and Moberly in the North Central Missouri Conference tournament, which would throw several “state-quality caliber” opponents Davolt’s way. He and Davolt agree that helped him “up his game at the end of the season.”

Davolt said his serve has been much better this season. Whether it was first or second serve, he called his serve in previous years “super, super weak.”

“I’ve gotten to the point where I’m known for having one of the strongest serves that people see,” Davolt said.

Davolt said opponents have praised his serve, and Senor agrees with them with a perspective from the sidelines and on the court. Senor practiced hitting with Davolt prior to the championship match against Litton. 

“His serve is hard to return,” Senor said. “I was trying to return some serves with him today, and it was impossible for me. Now, I’m a 40-year-old man, so that’s a little different, but that serve is great. There are some kids who say his serve is amazing.”

Senor said Davolt has gone the necessary extra mile to be one of the top 16 players in the state by going to camps and seeking additional instruction during the summer and in the offseason. He said this extra work has helped Davolt’s game but also the mentality and strategy behind it so he isn’t “just hitting the ball and hoping it’s in.” 

In his preparation for the state tournament, Davolt can take what he’s learned from every match to be better equipped to face tougher competition. Senor said Davolt can even pinpoint more areas of improvement from his latest loss to Litton.

“We need to work on hitting the ball away from our opponent,” Senor said. “We need to do some more cross-court, down-the-line drills, because if you hit straight to somebody at state, they’re going to hit it away from you.”

Even though his state opponents might be better than him, Davolt said he can “fight through every single point” and just needs to be confident in his development. Davolt said he has noticed a “huge difference” in his game since he started playing varsity tennis four years ago. 

“When I first started, I would hardly swing my arm,” Davolt said. “I would just move it enough to hit the ball and call it good. But now, I’m following through on every shot and hitting the ball as hard as I can with the right technique.”

Missouri Military Academy’s Scribner all-district

Missouri Military Academy competed in the Class 2 District 5 individual tournament on Friday at Capital City in Jefferson City.

Henry Scribner finished third to earn all-district honors but missed out on state tournament qualification, as did the rest of the Colonels.