A team that is worth seeing this fall in Madison is the Lady Bulldogs tennis team. Heading to the Brandon Valley Tournament on Friday, the Lady Bulldogs are 10-2 in dual meets.

Madison started the season strong and has lost only to the defending champion, St. Thomas More, and to the top team, Sioux Falls Lincoln.

Madison became even stronger last week as exchange student Eleonore Valente started playing for the Lady Bulldogs. She became the new No. 1 singles player and is on the No. 1 doubles team. She has not yet lost a singles match.

With Valente taking over the No. 1 singles spot, it allowed most of the players to slide down one notch, and that has been huge for the Lady Bulldogs.

The doubles teams have been shaken up a little, but it has benefited the Lady Bulldogs.

With the moves, Madison should be able to place in the top 10 at the State Tennis Meet next month in Rapid City.

There are two more chances to see the Lady Bulldogs in action at Madison. On Sept. 19,they will host a triangular with Yankton and Brandon Valley. On Sept. 20, they play in a dual match against Mitchell.

Don't miss seeing one of the top teams in the state.

ABOUT LARRY LEEDS

Larry Leeds was born and raised in South Dakota, graduating from Colman High School in 1974. He continued his education at USD/Springfield and Dakota State University and received a bachelor's degree in physical education and history in 1979. He later obtained a journalism degree from South Dakota State University.

Before coming to Madison, Leeds worked at weekly papers in Flandreau, St. James, Minn., Redfield and Hayti (Hamlin County Publishing with Castlewood and Estelline).

He has a passion for all sports, especially high school sports and amateur baseball, because these teams are filled with players who want to be playing the game.

His favorite teams are the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Chicago Bears, Minnesota Twins and Timberwolves, and New York Yankees.

Leeds is also a NASCAR fan whose favorite drivers are Dave Blaney and his son Ryan.