Willard tennis player rewriting record books

Caden Ligenfelsor to receive Mayoral Award from City of Willard
 
Despite having his freshman year wiped out because of COVID, Willard junior tennis player Caden Ligenfelsor has become one of the top high school male tennis players in the state, going an incredible 84-3 in two years of action.
“Caden is a great tennis player and even better human being,” said head coach Ty Bills. “Caden is so humble, you would never know he is a top player in the state. He has such respect for his opponent and the game of tennis. He is also a great teammate. He and his parents should be so proud of the young man he is.”
As a sophomore, Ligenfelsor set a state record by going a combined 45-1. He was 32-1 in singles action and 13-0 in doubles play. He also won the Joplin and Springfield Invitational, was the Central Ozark Conference singles champion, the Class 2, District 6 singles champion and finished fifth in the state in Class 2.
Ligenfelsor also started racking up the awards after his sophomore season, as he was named the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Tennis Player of the Year, the Springfield Sports Commission Athlete of the Year and was named by USA Today the Southwest Missouri Tennis Player of the Year.
The Tiger upperclassman picked up where he left off as a junior, so far going a combined 39-2 (26-1 in singles play and 13-1 in doubles action). He once again won the Joplin and Springfield Invitationals and the COC singles tournament.
Yesterday, Ligenfelsor was recognized by Willard Mayor Sam Snider with the Mayoral Award from the city, and today, he will begin his defense of the Class 2, District 6 tournament singles championship, as the No. 2 seed. Willard will take on the winner of Glendale and Parkview in Springfield.