Ready to match up

Enthusiasm sells and Roger Taylor has found a willing market.

The first-year boys tennis coach at East Valley is excited about his team and its future.

An assistant coach the past five seasons at Mt. Spokane, Taylor takes over an East Valley program that was canceled for the 2004 spring season.

“We’re pretty excited out here at East Valley,” Taylor said. “The parents have been supportive. The athletic director has been supportive. I’ve got parents telling me they’re going to have to get out their old racquets and play themselves and I’ve got parents coming to all of our matches.

“The good news is we’re on the rise. There’s a buzz out here.”

Taylor is passionate about tennis and plays tournaments most weekends.

“The good news is that my record last year was 248-11,” Taylor joked. “The bad news is that I played most of those matches against my sister.”

What’s not a joke is why he chose to come to East Valley.

“I just felt that there’s a need here and probably some kids here who are hungry to learn the game,” he explained. “I’ve got 24 guys out – the more the merrier. My philosophy is that I don’t cut and everybody plays.

“I don’t want to tip my hand or anything, but I’ve got a young squad and we’re going to finish at least .500 this year.”

Taylor said he’s been pleased with the talent he’s found.

“I’m teaching, but not as much as some people might have led me to believe,” he said. “I teach competitiveness and I’ve got a competitive squad. If I can teach them to fight and scrap, the rest of the game will come. Tennis is 90 percent mind and 10 percent shots.”

The new head Knight makes no secret about his team’s potential.

“I’ve said it and I do believe it: In three years East Valley will be the city champs,” he predicted.

To help facilitate that prediction, Taylor said he will move his Mt. Spokane Tennis Camp to East Valley beginning the week after the Fourth of July.

Central Valley Bears

First-year boys coach Kevin Trim, a teaching pro at the Spokane Athletic Club and a veteran Greater Spokane League girls coach, is working on increasing his numbers.

“We’re working on that and we’re making a little progress,” he said. “If you look at it, the girls have 65 kids out and the boys have 17. Somewhere, that doesn’t add up – there are more tennis players out there.”

Trim’s top two players will make up the No. 1 doubles squad: seniors Jarred Watson and Jon Micheau.

Girls coach Stan Chalich has a seasoned group to play singles. Seniors Jordan Igo and Samantha Kern are the Bears’ Nos. 1 and 2, respectively. Sophomore Jie Jiao will play No. 3 and senior Whitney Pearson will be No. 4.

Freshmen Alex Kern and Randi Wilson have been impressive at doubles.

“I’ve been pairing them with (sophomore) Candace Mihlke as kind of a mix-and-match doubles team,” Chalich said. “(Senior) Sierra Foutch will probably be there in that mix, too.”

Senior Kira Thompson and junior Janelle Gravos are the No. 2 doubles team while seniors Brittney Moran and Justine Johnson hold down No. 3.

Sophomores Danika Pariseau and Stefani Skemer have played well as a doubles team and could move up, Chalich said.

East Valley Knights

Exchange student Kang Ro Yoon will complete his year at East Valley as the Knights’ No. 1 singles player. Lone senior Peter Kirsh is No. 2, junior Brad Benson No. 3 and sophomore David Sieck No. 4.

Taylor’s top three doubles teams are made up of sophomores.

Matt Mehlbrech and Kenji Scouton are the No. 1 doubles team. Corbin Dial and Lonnie Quirk are No. 2 and Tim Anderson and Clete Hanson are No. 3.

“I have two kids who are playing club tennis and nine more who have joined the United States Tennis Association,” Taylor said. “I have one senior and an exchange student who won’t be back next year. After that, I have one junior and the rest are sophomores and freshmen.”

Girls coach Mike Smith has veteran singles players, but is rebuilding his doubles pairings.

Junior Jessica Casebier, an All-GSL doubles pick a year ago, takes over as the team’s No. 1 singles player. Miranda Brother, an All-GSL singles selection last year, is No. 2.

Emma Brostrom is No. 3 singles and Chelsie Hardwick is No. 4.

“Our doubles teams are young and inexperienced,” Smith said. “They have to catch up and get up to speed with the doubles game.

Nicole Stiasny and Madeleine Hogan will play No. 1 doubles. Chelsea Nash and Hannah Rile are No. 2 and Desi Rainey and Kristina Astapenko are No. 3.

University Titans

First-year coach Jessica Walters has a veteran squad back from last year, including senior Josh Steele, beginning his third season as the team’s No. 1 singles player.

Steele, who recently returned from a national tournament featuring some of the top players in the country, is considered one of the league’s two top returning singles players.

How those two players will rank has yet to be determined.

“From what I’ve been told, Josh and Lewis and Clark’s Ben Gullickson are 1-2 in the league,” Walters said. “Unfortunately, when we played LC they weren’t able to complete their match because of bad weather. Gullickson won the first set, 7-5, and they had just started the second set when we had to call it.

“It was a great match between two incredible players.”

Pushing Steele every day in practice is senior Carlos Campos, who holds down the No. 2 singles position for the second straight season.

Junior Brian Fredrickson, returns at No. 3 singles and sophomore Taylor Hendrickson is No. 4 for the second straight season.

Juniors Chris Mayhew and Kevin Darrow will play No. 1 doubles, with juniors Steven Cutter and Eliseo Sanchez at No. 2. Sophomores Matt James and Anthony Schoen hold down No. 3 doubles.

Girls coach Julene Osborn, who shared the league’s Coach of the Year honors with East Valley’s Smith, has a veteran squad.

Seniors Kamin Alteneder and Laura Woodard return as the team’s top two singles players.

Junior Katie Tenney and sophomore Hailey Parrish made a splash last season as the team’s No. 2 doubles team. This year, they move up to No. 1 if the coach can keep their names straight.

“I keep mixing up their names,” Osborn laughed. “For some reason I keep calling them Hatie and Kailey. They’re not going to let me forget it, I’m afraid.”

Senior Lisa Lowrie and sophomore Heather Fried are the No. 2 doubles team.

West Valley Eagles

The Eagles return district runner-up Mel Dossey, an All-GSL singles player a year ago, is the team’s No. 1 singles player for the second straight season.

At almost 6-feet, Dossey, a three-sport athlete, is an imposing opponent.

“Especially when it comes to the net,” coach Clay Nelson said. “She just keeps improving and working hard on her game. Now she just wants to avoid getting a case of senioritis.”

Sophomore Hilary Hargrove had an impressive district tournament last spring and takes over this year as the team’s No. 2 singles player.

“We’re a pretty old varsity this year,” Nelson said. “I’m going to have mostly seniors this year. They’ve stepped it up a lot. I’m expecting a lot from a doubles team: Paula Pitzke and Lisa Stoll. Those two are really clicking as a team.”

Seniors Elisha Rose and Cassie Krum will see action as a doubles team and each will occasionally play singles, depending on the match-up.

Jamie Nilles, the dean of Valley boys tennis coaches, has a young squad long on enthusiasm but short on experience.

No. 1 singles player Tom Griner begins his fourth year on the Eagles’ varsity. Sophomore Nick Raskell plays No. 2 singles while senior Nate Thomas holds down No. 3.

Seniors Grant Whipple and Ryan Payne return to play No. 1 doubles.