The Tonasket High School tennis team boys are Aaron Bharucha, Karl Bharucha, Zach Clarkson, Terrell Cross, Zach Ferriel, Jeff Hunlock, Corbin ” title=”293a” width=”” height=”” class=”size-FULL”>

Photo by Terry Mills

The Tonasket High School tennis team boys are Aaron Bharucha, Karl Bharucha, Zach Clarkson, Terrell Cross, Zach Ferriel, Jeff Hunlock, Corbin

TONASKET – Yellow and blue have taken over the tennis courts.

The Tonasket High School tennis team began their spring season last week with two away games and one home meet.

They lost their first home match against Brewster 0-5. Only the girls played in this match, since Brewster does not have a boys’ team.

First-year head coach Laura Temby said several players were playing ill after catching the flu many local residents have also come down with. Two players were completely absent.

“With several key players sick or completely out, we were struggling,” she said. Although the match left Brewster victorious, Temby was happy with her team.

“I’m quite pleased with the team’s effort,” she said. “Quite a few rookie players stepped up.”

In singles, Brewster’s Taylor LaMoreaux defeated Tonasket’s Mayte Ortega 6-2 and 6-1. Brewster’s Brittany Webster defeated Tonasket’s Chelsea Rhoads 6-1 and 6-0. Brewster’s Leticia Moore defeated Tonasket’s Kelsey Gallas 6-0 and 6-1.

In doubles, Brewster’s Janette Mariscal and Ilianne Garibo defeated Tonasket’s Melissa Martinez and Kathy Lea Gibson 6-3 and 6-2. Brewster’s Grace McCarty and Inia Nava defeated Lindsie Fields and Ashlyn Salzman 7-6 and 6-2.

Fields and Salzman took their first set to a tie breaker.

The boys will hit the home court for the first time March 27 at 4 p.m.

Their first week of tennis was a long one.

“It was a tough week,” Temby said. “We had three matches in one week. We had to travel to Cashmere and play in forty-degree weather, then to Cascade, were it was cold, soggy and windy.”

Cashmere won March 18 against both the boys and girls.

Against the girls, the Bulldogs bested the Tigers 4-1.

“The girls went down fighting for every game and every point 1-4,” Temby wrote in an email.

In singles, Tonasket’s Ortega defeated Cashmere’s Elyse Fike 6-1 and 6-2. Cashmere’s Chelsea Pittsinger defeated Tonasket’s Rhoads 6-1and 6-2. Cashmere’s Stephanie O’Brian defeated Gibson 6-2 and 6-3.

The boys took a split, losing 3-2, including losing one tie-breaker.

In singles, Tonasket’s Zachary Ferriell defeated Cameron Schmidt 2-6, 6-4 and 6-3. Cashmere’s Sang Cho defeated Tonasket’s Brett Hendricks 3-6, 6-3 and 6-3. Cashmere’s Matt Taylor defeated Lee Leavell 7-6 and 2-6.

“My rookie tennis player Lee Leavell played beyond his three weeks of tennis experience but went down against Matt Taylor,” Temby said.

In doubles, Tonasket team Jeff Hunlock and Zack Clarkson defeated Daniel Dickens and Andrew Gubsch 6-0, 3-6 and 7-6. Cashmere’s Drew Ankong and Andrew Thresher defeated Tonasket’s Karl Bharucha and Damon Sprague 6-0 and 6-0.

On March 20, Tonasket headed south again to Cascade, playing a delayed match with the Kodiaks. Cascade sent several players to state last year and all of them returned to their courts this year.

The Lady Tigers lost 0-5.

In singles, Cascade’s Leah Newell defeated Ortega 6-4 and 6-0. Lucia Sanchez defeated Tonasket’s Nixon 6-3 and 6-2. Jordan Offutt defeated Rhoads 6-2 and 6-0.

In doubles, Missy Allen and Sonia Gorski defeated Martinez and Gibson 6-1 and 6-0. Tori Smith and Cassidy Cuthill defeated Fields and Salzman 6-1 and 6-1.

Cascade defeated the boys, as well, again with a 3-2 split.

In singles, Staten Hudson defeated Tonasket’s Ferriell 6-4 and 6-0. Josh Subido defeated Bret Hendricks 6-1 and 6-1. Tonasket rookie Lee Leavell defeated Jordan Head 4-6, 7-5 and 1-0.

In doubles, Tonasket’s Jeff Hunlock and Zack Clarkson defeated Brian Bayne and Brandon Krause 6-4, 1-6 and 6-2. Cascade’s Issac Reister and Chris Mains defeated Karl Bharucha and Damon Sprague 6-1 and 6-1.

The next four matches for the Tiger’s will all be at home, Temby said. Lake Roosevelt traveled to Tonasket Tuesday; Chelan comes today for a 4 p.m. meeting and Cashmere heads up the valley Saturday, March 29. Okanogan will be in town April 7.

Laura Temby is a first-year head coach, after being an assistant coach for the past two years. She played tennis for THS when she was a student.

The team is balanced, she said, with 12 boys and 11 girls.

“We’re down a little from past years, but it’s not a terrible thing,” Temby said. “As a first year coach, it’s great to not have overwhelming numbers of kids who need attention.”

While winning is nice, that isn’t her goal this season.

“Of course I like winning, I like being competitive in the league, and I think we can be,” she said. “But I want to keep the kids improving so that when graduation comes, they can enjoy tennis for a lifetime. This is a lifelong sport.”

But she also wants to see students active on the court.

“I’m hoping kids will meet their individual goals,” she said.

In the last six or seven years, the Tonasket tennis team has had strong double’s teams, she said. The single’s group has been weaker, Temby said.

“I have a couple of young players who have high goals,” she said. “They’re hoping to break through in the singles bracket. They’re willing to put in a lot of hard work.”

Of 23 players, there are seven total seniors, three juniors, eight sophomores and five freshmen. Both the boys and girls have six returning players, Temby said.

“About half of them have tennis experience,” she said. “The others are pretty green, but some of them have flat-out raw talent.”