MARION — Alexander Lisiecki squeezed the most he could out of his high school experience at Marion Harding.
He was a member of the marching band, sang in the show choir and participated high school musicals. He was an honor student, a member of student council and part of the Varsity H Club. As an athlete, he was a swimmer and the area's top boys tennis player.
"He just did a lot," Marion Harding tennis coach Dustin Ellis said. "He’s confident. He’s outgoing. He’s extremely well-rounded. That’s the best way you could put it."
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It was all by design, according to Lisiecki.
"You really just have to find that motivation to use the hours you have and put it to something better than video games or stuff like that," he said. "For me, a big motivator was not falling into senioritis. I wanted to push all the way to the end of my senior season. That’s what really did it for me, just using every moment that I have toward something good, and it really paid off this season I think."
Staying busy without a drop off in performance as the end was nearing wasn't always easy. Nevertheless, he avoided the traps that come for seniors in the last days of high school.
"(It's) just keeping the end in mind. Remembering there are rewards at the end of the finish line. It’s all going to pay off. This is going toward something good," Lisiecki said of his mindset.
Fahey Bank Award winner
One of those good things was his first Fahey Bank Athlete of the Month Award, winning it among Marion County boys for June.
"It means a lot. It means all the hard work has paid off. It was definitely a surprise," he said. "It wasn’t anywhere in my goals. Just the overall goal was of giving every day 100% at practice and all the matches, it was pushing through to have a great senior season."
The capper to his senior year was his boys tennis run.
Lisiecki helped the Presidents to a 17-4 record overall and a runner-up spot in the Mid Ohio Athletic Conference regular season standings at 10-2. As the No. 1 singles player, he was the runner-up in the MOAC Tournament in Lexington as the team ended third behind Ontario and Shelby.
"He worked extremely hard last summer, and he got a lot fitter," Ellis said. "He really worked on getting stronger and faster last summer and more athletic. I think that really helped him this year. He really worked on his forehand quite a bit during the season. It was just a shot he needed to develop more. He’s always been a great server and always been a really good competitor in matches."
Lisiecki's competitive spirit was evident as a senior.
"There were a few times this year where his footwork was so good, and he was playing incredibly well. The River Valley night match and Pleasant night match, he played incredibly well those nights," Ellis said. "He beat Shelby down 5-7, 1-4 this year at home, probably the most inspiring performance I’ve seen at Harding. Took that match to three hours long and won 5-7, 7-5, 6-3. Amazing fight and toughness and actually beat that kid in three sets all three times."
A district qualifier
A year ago with older brother Mateusz, Lisiecki qualified for the always tough Division I district tennis tournament as a doubles team, and the plan was to go back this spring with younger brother Sebastian.
"I had the opportunity to be a district qualifier with my older brother last year and being able to do it again with my younger brother is not something you see every day. It just goes to show how hard we work," he said.
According to Ellis, they spent the past year concentrating on doubles, even while playing in the top two singles spots during the regular season.
"Last summer, we talked about wanting to win a match at the district tournament and maybe make the state tournament in doubles," the coach said. "It was already planned. Everything we did throughout the season in practice was geared toward doubles. It was a fun process. He’s such a hard worker."
And together Alexander and Sebastian did something that hadn't been done since 2007. They won a match at the D-I district. The 6-2, 7-5 win over Worthington Kilbourne was the first Harding boys tennis win in the Central District in 23 years and put them one victory away from a state berth.
"They had a great season, and both improved so much," Ellis said.
Alexander was a part of 24 victories in matches in 2024.
"Out of everybody on our team, I’ve easily played the most tennis against him because he would call me. We’ve gone out after midnight and just played tennis multiple times," Ellis said. "I’m definitely going to miss those times. That’s where you develop that relationship and trust to compete. Those are those special moments to me."
As for Lisiecki, he will attend Purdue with older brother Mateusz and major in business and engineering. He's auditioning for concert band and hopes to play intramural tennis while in college.
"I definitely rank tennis as No. 1. I have the most passion for tennis than any other sport. I’ve had a great time with other sports during high school, but tennis is the one I really want to stick with and keep going after graduating," he said because an always busy guy needs to stay busy.
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Fahey Bank Athlete of the Month
● June boys nominees:
● Winner: Alexander Lisiecki, senior, Marion Harding tennis.
● Cooper Miller, senior, River Valley track and field.
● Jacob Isler, junior, Elgin baseball.
● Trent Caudill, junior, Pleasant baseball.
● Brogan Weston, sophomore, Ridgedale track and field.
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