Shawano’s Buerman, Sheldon finish 1-1 at state

Duo relishes state, look forward to even bigger things
By: 
Morgan Rode
Sports Editor

Shawano Community High Schools’ George Buerman and Tristan Sheldon posted a 1-1 record in No. 1 doubles play during the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association state individual tournament on June 1-2 at Nielsen Stadium in Madison.

“State was an amazing experience, the tennis atmosphere was amazing and a lot to take in,” said Buerman. “Getting to see the teams we’ve previously played was fun and seeing new players was also exciting.”

“Seeing some of the competition in Madison was a great experience for George and I because we know how to prepare ourselves for next year,” said Sheldon. “The energy in the Nielsen Tennis Stadium was nothing like I’d ever seen before. We had a large section of fans from Shawano who came to support us. This definitely added to nerves but they were all very supportive.”

The Shawano junior duo opened state against Madison LaFollette’s Simon Kuhlow and Noah Freeman on June 1.

Buerman and Sheldon prevailed 6-2, 2-6, 13-11 against the pair of seniors to extend their stay at state.

“Going into the third set, George and I both agreed to go in with a good attitude and play our best,” said Sheldon. “Eventually we were down three in the tiebreaker and needed to play our best tennis. When we won, it was surreal — being able to overcome mental challenges was a big step that George and I made this year. The pressure of a third set at state is very stressful, but we were able to overcome it due to our hard work.”

“Our first match was against an opponent who has played strong teams, but we expected to surprise them with our unique play style,” said Buerman. “The match came down to staying in points and keeping a good mental attitude. All the people that came down to support us really meant a lot to us and motivated us to play at our best. Earning the win was an unforgettable feeling and was nice knowing that we would advance to the next day.”

In the second day of state competition, Buerman and Sheldon faced off against Marquette University’s Jack Eisenbrown and Aidan Ferber. The Hawks’ duo fell 6-0, 6-0 to the eighth-seeded doubles team.

The loss eliminated Buerman and Sheldon from the tournament. After Buerman and Sheldon went 1-1 at state, they capped the season with a 15-7 overall record.

After a strong spring and state appearance, the No. 1 doubles team is expecting even bigger things next year.

“This state run this year has given us a feeling of making it to the big stage, but it has also given us a lot of knowledge of what we can work on looking towards next year,” said Buerman. “We look forward to improving and making a farther run next year.”

“Our goal for next year is to work with our young talent and get more people to sectionals and even state,” said Sheldon. “We also intend to make it further next year.”

Buerman and Sheldon led Shawano all season.

The duo placed second at the Bay Conference Tournament. They then won their subsectional match to qualify for sectionals, where they placed fourth to punch a ticket to state.

“I am very proud of the full-team effort that produced a state qualifier,” said Shawano coach Matt Zoll. “George and Tristan put in many hours of work and dedicated themselves to playing competitive tennis. This accomplishment is the result of everyone who practiced with them this year and challenged them each and every day. Big thanks to coach (Bob) Croschere and the fans that traveled to cheer the Hawks on in Madison.”

sports@newmedia-wi.com