Tennis teams strong with athletes, light on experience

The Columbia Falls boys tennis team will see 23 athletes looking to make their mark in 2010.

"It's our largest turnout ever," Coach Gary Yee said last week.

Last year, two players qualified for the state tournament, the doubles team of Grant Getts and Jake Ronish. Both graduated.

"It's going to be a developing year," Yee said. "But I have a lot of athletic kids."

The roster includes 16 new players, but they're not strangers to competition. Basketball standouts Nick Emerson and Chris King join the team, as well as John Woody, the top running back for the football team.

Yee said he also expects good things out of Sam Negron.

"He's got good hands and he's big," he said.

Yee also has a core of returning players, including Parker Johnson, Brian Marcille and brothers Vadim and Mirslav Zvyagelskiy.

The Cats already have a leg up on last year. Poor weather last season kept the team inside. This year they've been able to practice outside all but two days.

The girls also have strong numbers, said Head Coach Jerry Smalley. Thirty-five athletes will play, with seven returning from last year's squad.

The seven include Pepper Borland, Franki Anderson, Courtney Tamburelli, Lexi Bartkoski, Marissa Getts, Natalie Law and Gabrielle Stenger.

Smalley said to expect good things from foreign exchange student Tamera Kolatschek.

He said doubles pairings will develop as the season progresses.

"I'm trying to keep the kids flexible," he said. Like Yee, he's enjoying the pleasant spring weather.

"We've been very fortunate to be outside," he said. "We're using it to hone our technique."

The girls didn't have any players qualify for state last year, but they were also young.

"With the experience they have, we're hoping they play with more confidence," he said.

The girls open their season at home at 4 p.m. April 8 against Eureka. Both boys and girls teams travel to Libby April 9.