Judging strictly by his physical stature, few would peg Dan Plourde for one of the game's giants. He stands about 5-foot-6 -- in high-tops. He weighs roughly 135 pounds -- when wringing wet.
But despite his diminutive make-up, Plourde is a downright bully -- when it comes to tennis that is. And when the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association boys tournament opens today at Nielsen Tennis Stadium, the Madison Memorial sophomore will be one of the top players in Division 1.
Plourde, who went 21-1 this season and won the Big Eight Conference singles title, received a first-day bye and opens play Friday morning. ``Some people talk about my height, but it gives me something to fight for,'' Plourde said. ``To be able to say you beat the bigger guys and the guys with big power is great to do.''
And it's common for Plourde.
Besides rolling through the Big Eight, the baseliner has posted impressive wins against Monroe's Nick Mueller, the No. 4 seed in Division 1, and Racine Park's Tom Lipari, a top 16 seed in Division 1. Plourde's only loss was to Ripon's Charlie Larson, the No. 3 seed in Division 2.
What Plourde lacks in size, he more than makes up for in hustle, determination and heart.
``He's just really worked incredibly hard at the game and it's shown,'' Spartans coach Chris Grainger said. ``This year alone, his game has picked up a ton and he's taken it to a new level.''
Plourde will have to raise it another notch this weekend to make a run through a demanding field. Should he win his opening match, No. 3 seed and close friend Dan Harding of Brookfield Central awaits.
From there, a date with seventh-seeded Eric Robertson of Nicolet is likely. And then... well, you get the picture. It won't be easy. But those who have been around Plourde say he has what it takes to make a splash.
``He's so tough at times that even when he's not at his best, he's smoking people,'' said teammate Joel Price, who along with James Murray, will represent the Spartans in doubles. ``I think he's going to surprise some people.''
It wouldn't be the first time. Last year, Plourde played primarily doubles with his brother Jason, now a student at Notre Dame. Plourde-squared entered the tournament as the eighth seed, but wound up knocking off a pair of higher ranked foes and finished fifth.
Now, Dan Plourde is hoping to recapture some of last year's magic while his brother watches from the stands.
``He'll be here watching so that's just another reason to do well,'' Dan Plourde said. ``We'll see. I'm just planning on going out, playing as hard as I know how, keeping a good mindset and hoping things go well.''
Division 1 Singles pairings Go, Brookfield East, jr. (20-1) received bye; Vinlaun, Brookfield Central, jr. (16-3) vs. Andy Lemperger, Arrowhead, jr. (18-8); Dominguez, Waukesha West, sr. (19-9) received bye; Kabele, Green Bay Southwest, fr. (18-7) vs. Schmidt, Homestead, jr. (15-4); Maurer, Manitowoc, sr. (22-5) received bye; Thatcher, La Crosse Central, sr. (14-3) vs. Waller, Racine Horlick, sr. (17-9); Lipari, Racine Park, so. (16-10) received bye); Hartmann, Eau Claire North, sr. (14-8) vs. Voloshin, Nicolet, so. (20-3); Harding, Brookfield Central, sr. (22-6) received bye; Hablewitz, Manitowoc, sr. (25-2) vs. Felkner, Wausau East, so. (19-5); Plourde, Madison Memorial, so. (21-1) received bye; Smith, Middleton, sr. (17-5) vs. Young, West Bend East, sr. (15-3); Robertson, Nicolet, fr. (16-7) received bye; Singer, Appleton East, sr. (13-6) vs. Wohlfarth, Milwaukee Vincent, sr. (10-2); Turner, Neenah, sr. (22-2) received bye; Parise, Sun Prairie, sr. (14-4) vs. McGoldrick, Waukesha South, sr. (22-5); Williamson, Sheboygan South, sr. (10-9) vs. Pourciau, Appleton North, sr. (11-6); Hom, Stevens Point, so. (16-4) received bye; Devine, Oshkosh West, fr. (19-7) vs. Wawrzyniak, Greenfield, so. (19-5); LaRue, Mukwonago, sr. (11-4) received bye; Warshauer, Arrowhead, sr. (9-14) vs. Knight, Cudahy, so. (7-10); Harding, Brookfield Central, so. (24-4) received bye; Graf, Racine Case, so. (11-10) vs. Thielen, Sun Prairie, sr. (17-2); Carnell, Brookfield East, sr. (22-2) received bye; Harmatys, Brookfield East, jr. (20-4) vs. Wemmert, Racine Park, sr. (20-8); Davies, Waukesha South, fr. (26-5) received bye; Goetz, Brookfield Central, sr. (21-8) vs. Krohn, Marshfield, fr.; Olafson, Wausau East, sr. (22-2) received bye; Polkowski, Homestead, jr. (8-5) vs. Nickisch, Green Bay West, jr. (15-3); Hagenow, Manitowoc, jr. (21-5) received bye; Zubatsky, Nicolet, fr. (5-1) vs. Martini, Rhinelander, jr. (17-7); Kotov, Kenosha Tramper, sr. (21-2) received bye.
Doubles Bonfigt-Van Horn, Manitowoc (22-1) received bye; Salentine-Polczynski, Wauwatose East (14-10) vs. Bishop-Bishop, Kenosha Tremper (17-3); Dunigan-Preston, Brookfield Central, (20-1) received bye; Cooper-Carvahlo, Eau Claire Memorial (8-0) vs. Staniszewski-Wauters, Madison La Follette (11-2); Piering-Govin, Brookfield East (20-3) received bye; Wallace-Braun, Homestead (17-3) vs. Rickman-Genske, Neenah (20-4); Bryant-Pflanz, Waukesha West (20-9) received bye; Chen-Cohn, Madison West (21-5) vs. Busse-Holschub, Kaukauna (14-7); Wagner-Holsen, Nicolet (6-0) received bye; Wier-Will, Homestead (11-2) vs. Mason-Staab, Marshfield (8-7); Chelbos-Jenkins, Racine Park (14-5) received bye; Starry-Gutknecht, Beaver Dam (15-9) vs. Mitchell-Frank, Brookfield Central (18-4); DenBoer-Harlfinger, Waukesha South (25-2) received bye; Schreiber-Carlson, Green Bay Southwest (17-7) vs. Berlinski-Becher, Brookfield East (16-6); Schlitz-Kim, Wausau East (17-7) received bye; Huberty-Koehler, Oshkosh North (17-8) vs. Jodorski-Moeller, Manitowoc (27-1); Latzke-Hornburn, Arrowhead (18-8) vs. Sitzman-Williamson, Sheboygan South (12-7); Van Dong-Hoffe, Eau Claire North (12-0) received bye; Johnson-Yoblonski, Oshkosh North (6-4) vs. Marling-Kepler, Madison West (13-7); Chasid-Stephenson, Brookfield Central (23-5) received bye; Hammer-Herdrich, West Bend West (10-1) vs. Bartelak-Johnson, South Milwaukee (14-7); Price-Murray, Madison Memorial (16-7) received bye; Yeomans-Wait, Janesville Craig (17-9) vs. Kotila-Martin, Rhinelander (17-7); Devorkin-Sellinger, Homestad (17-3) received bye; Monson-Hill, Waukesha West (24-4) vs. Kalayoglu-Hellkaas, Madison West (15-0); Kuepper-Kuepper, Hartford (13-3) received bye; Mooren-St. John, Brookfield East (20-4) vs. Groves-Buencamino, Kenosha Tremper (16-9); Rippi-Henshaw, Neenah (13-1) received bye; Anklam-Klingebiel, Greenfield (9-11) vs. Kastberg-Knowles, Plymouth (12-3); Palmer-Weber, Manitowoc (10-1) received bye; Dow-Birkholz, Eau Claire Memorial (15-4) vs. Kauffman-Tran, Racine Horlick (11-8); Clark-Frozena, Green Bay Southwest (13-2) received bye.
Division 2 Singles pairings Bishop, Sauk Priaire, jr. (20-1) received bye; Rohde, River Falls, sr. (12-3) vs. Van Cronkhite, Wauwatose West, so. (8-12); Baardseth, Amery, sr. (20-1) received bye; Wortman, Shawano, jr. (14-5) vs. Kimpton, Verona, sr. (20-4); Mueller, Monroe, jr. (17-5) received bye; Smallidge, New Richmond, sr. (13-9) vs. Sauer, New Berlin West, jr. (16-5); Lubke, Milton, sr. (17-5) received bye; Bovre, Sheboygan Falls, jr. (22-2) vs. Larson, Viroqua, so. (19-2); Olson, Black River Falls, sr. (15-7) vs. Arfman, Cedarburg, so. (13-7); Kurtz, New Berlin West, sr. (9-1) received bye; Kreinbring, Ashland, fr. (13-3) vs. Stampfli, Verona, sr. (14-6); Larson, Ripon, sr. (19-3) received bye; Daharsh, Sheboygan Falls, sr. (20-4) vs. Stauffacher, Monroe, so. (20-2); Nutt, Greendale, so. (12-10) received bye; Taapgen, Baraboo, sr. (9-5) vs. Wollan, River Falls, sr. (18-0); Currie, Brown Deer, so. (22-1) received bye.
Doubles Geer-Grubb, Ripon (21-3) received bye; Cullen-Boll, Sauk Priaire (18-6) vs. Hering-Polk, New Berlin Eisenhauer (16-4); Cook-Eisendrath, Greendale (15-7) received bye; Ackerman-Sleiter, Monroe (23-1) vs. Alberty-Leonard, Shorewood (11-2); Litt-Krueger, Reedsburg (19-1) received bye; Fredrickson-Hanson, New Richmond (12-0) vs. Crane-Becker, Delavan-Darien (6-1); Lafleur-Jacobson, Onalaska (15-2) received bye; Korff-Carpenter, Sheboygan Falls (17-1) vs. Wood-Symes, River Falls (13-6); Wier-Serak, Greendale (16-6) vs. LaLuzerne-Shellenberger, DePere (13-10); Klein-Huetmaker, New Richmond (10-0) received bye; Whitmore-Warborg, Jefferson (19-4) vs. Oujiri-Hymans, Ashland (11-4); Trebon-Smith, Whitefish Bay (17-6) received bye; Faber-Ferg, Baldwin-Woodville (11-3) vs. Halberg-Ciolkosz, Portage (3-3); Reed-Bruno, Whitnall (19-4) received bye; Hackel-Saldivia, Sheboygan Falls (8-1) vs. Nortman-Roidt, Monroe (20-6); Pruitt-Davit, Shorewood (1-1) received bye.
