Carson tennis teams roll past Sparks

The showdown the Carson High boys tennis team has been waiting for really since last summer is less than a week away.

While Carson must first take care of business on Tuesday against Wooster, it's virtually certain that its match at Reno High this Thursday will be for the Sierra League title. The Senators virtually received a break on Thursday at the CHS courts when it beat Sparks, a team that had just one doubles squad, 18-0.

The Carson High girls tennis team also had the chance to play many of its players at the CHS courts against Sparks which had to play without one doubles team. The Senator girls won 13-5.

"That's going to be huge," said Houlihan about Reno. "We'll see where it all lies. Reno has a fine program, a fine team."

Carson coach Pat Houlihan said the strength of his doubles teams should allow the Senators to be competitive with Reno. "We have some good doubles teams," he said.

But Houlihan also said his team will also need some points from its singles players to knock off Reno. "It will definitely be a team effort," he said.

Houlihan said he hopes that all the tournaments his players competed in during the summer will pay off. He said his goal is "to have my kids play comfortably."

"We've played enough. They shouldn't be quite as nervous as they have been in the past."

Against Sparks, James Pelz and Spencer Trapp, Alex Wing and Ian Gentner and Jordan Miller and Gordon Lee all won 6-0.

For Carson's girls, Elise Hansen won 6-2, Alyssa Corda won 6-1, Tiffany Moore won 6-4, Meghan Craig won 6-0, Lisa Midboe won 6-0, Kristin Howard won 6-3 and Michelle Mauer won 6-2 in singles. In doubles, Joanna Xie and Jenna Greenburg won 6-0, Emily Wang and Kristin Charles won 6-0 and Jenni Hood and Kristi Philippi won 6-0.

"I got some younger players in and that was good," Carson coach Diane Baker Roberts said.