Snow Offers Lc Squad Early Challenge

Thu., March 13, 1997

John Miller Correspondent

GSL boys tennis

Ah, the first day of spring tennis practice. Nothing like limbering up the old tennis elbow with a little snow-shoveling.

There’s no place in Spokane colder - or snowier - than Hart Field, as the Lewis and Clark boys team found out last week. After preparing the courts, the Tigers really didn’t get to swing their rackets until three days ago.

“One of the big things about playing in Spokane is getting acclimated to the weather,” said Jeff Norton, whose Tigers have placed second or better in the Greater Spokane League since 1991.

Gonzaga Prep’s boys tennis coach Sid Wang is predicting his charges are going to make the GSL leaderboard even more complicated than last year. Sure, Mead and LC, last year’s champion and runner-up, will figure into the title race. But the Bullpups lost just three players from last year’s team.

“I think we should do extremely well,” Wang said. “I’m even going as far as (predicting) finishing No. 2 or No. 1 in the GSL if we play hard, practice hard, and do the right things.”

Over at Ferris, boys tennis coach Brian Sachse is a man on the run these days.

At 6 a.m. he and the rest of the team are at the Spokane Racquet Club for an early morning workout. After the school day ends, Sachse gets the team organized for conditioning and then heads off to the gym, where he’s an assistant coach with Ferris’ state-bound boys basketball team.

“It makes for a long day, but the rewards are real good,” says Sachse, explaining that he’ll be back full time with last year’s fourth-place GSL team when hoops post-season is over.

LC freshman Karl Johnson, ranked in the top 20 in Washington among 14-year-olds, is expected to challenge seniors Ben Maixner and Spencer Piston for the Tigers’ top spots.

“The advantage of that is, regardless of whoever ends up No. 1, we’re going to have a pretty strong No. 2 and No. 3,” Norton said.

Senior doubles specialists Joe Harris and Trevor Aschenbrenner round out an experienced returning club.

“Realistically, we can hope to challenge for the top three,” Norton said.

Two big reasons G-Prep coach Wang sees his team as stronger this year are a pair of South Hill singles players. Sophomore Riggs Kubiak and senior Tom Pearson played at No. 2 and No. 3 last year. Another year’s worth of court savvy isn’t going to make things any easier on their opponents.

“Our top four singles spots are abilitywise very even,” Wang said. “We should give Mead and LC a heckuva match.”

Ferris senior Josh Dyck, a strong baseliner who played at No. 1 all last season, will have to fight to keep his spot with Nick Mays, a sophomore who was undefeated at the No. 2 and 3 singles spots a year ago.

“Nicks’s an awful tough competitor,” coach Sachse said. “The two will be battling all year long to see who’s going to be No. 1.”

Junior David Huang, who played No. 4 last year, also returns with doubles players Travis LaSalle and Jason Weatherred.

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