With two of his top singles players returning, Carson High boys tennis coach Kevin Fallon is optimistic about his opportunity to have a good season.
A year ago, Carson reached the team regional tournament but was eliminated in the opening round by Truckee.
Blake Sly and Peter Brinson, both seniors, are the reasons that Fallon is so confident. The CHS coach is counting on both players to rack up five or six points every match. Each singles player can play up to three sets in a dual match.
"Blake has done a great job since starting as a freshman," Fallon said. "It's his third year (starting), and he's always good for an awful lot of points. I'd like to see him have as good a season as last year and I'd like to see him make a run through regionals and qualify for state.
"I still remember having Peter in sixth-grade English. He's a very reliable player, and I look for him to be productive."
Fallon is moving Ben Drozdoff, a doubles player last year, into the No. 3 singles spot.
"He played with J.J. Aragon," Fallon said. "I decided to use him in singles this year. He has a great high school tennis game."
Matt Boggs and Casey Reid will form one doubles team. Conner Fallon and Spencer Hollenbeck-Pringle form a second doubles team. Mike Lang and Ian McBryde are a third doubles team.
"Conner and Spencer have different partners this year," coach Fallon said. "They are real compatible. We'll see how they do. Mike is a competitor. He played a little singles last year. He goes out and plays hard.
"Matt and Casey played some of the longest first matches last year. They had a way of stringing out matches, and a couple of times were able to turn a match around for us."
Other players looking for time are Josh Green, Nick Forbes, Jack Miller, Zach Rogers and Avery Whitt. Green played in a few matches last year.
Fallon also likes his freshman corp of Jared Hearn, Trevor Sollberger and Aaron Woodbury. He's hoping they will spend the year learning and playing in exhibition matches, and have an impact as sophomores.
GIRLS TENNIS
Last year, the Senators reached the team regionals, but were knocked off by Truckee.
One goal is to advance further in the team competition this season.
Diane Baker-Roberts has 27 players on the roster, and she's split her squad into two different time slots so she can give more individual attention.
"I'm trying to find nine girls (three singles players and three doubles teams) who can keep the ball in play," Baker-Roberts said. "We have some good athletes, and if they are good athletes I can make them into a tennis player."
Baker-Roberts said that other than No. 1 singles (Emily Collins) and No. 1 doubles (Annalisa Ong and Katie Breeding) all spots are up for grabs.
All three of the aforementioned players reached regional individual play, but were eliminated in the first or second round.
Collins, one of a few three-sport varsity athletes on campus, has impressed her coach with her solid play.
"She moves very well on the court," Baker-Roberts said. "She has great footwork and she isn't afraid to come to the net and put in a little drop shot.
"She gets a little frustrated with herself. She is such a good athlete. She is a better singles player than doubles player. She has a great serve, but sometimes overhits the ball."
Two other players who have impressed Baker-Roberts are Maddie Saarem and Elise McGowan. Saarem is another three-sport athlete while McGowan is a good softball player.
"Maddie hurt her hip (in track) and she's still not 100 percent," Baker-Roberts said. "If Elise settles down a little bit ... . They could end up playing doubles as well as singles."
Other players contending for playing time are Camilla Dudley, Krista Stocke, Markell Weeks, Elizabeth Flansberg, Avi Hersey and Mary Longero.
"Krista played doubles last year," Baker-Roberts said. "If she can keep the ball in play she could play either singles or doubles. I've been trying to get Mary out for a couple of years. If she can get her serve down, she might play singles.
"Elizabeth played a lot of during the summer. She has a real smooth stroke. Markell played a little last year."