Raider tennis fields strong squad

Raider Tennis enters the 2012 season with 20 participants, including one from Almira-Coulee-Hartline and 14 returners from the 2011 squad.

This season’s team is senior heavy with eight turning out, five of whom have played all four years. The rest of the squad is made up of four juniors, five sophomores, and two freshmen.

With only six newcomers, tennis has one of the more exprienced squads among the spring sports at Lake Roosevelt High School.

Head Coach Steve Archer is impressed with the off-season growth of his veterans and looks to compete very well in matches.

“Our boys’ team is shaping up with some pretty strong players at the top, including Phoenix Shephard, Nick Rice and Hayden Rodrigues,” Archer said. “They will be battling each other for the top spot.”

Last season, the girls’ squad carried a lot of youth and inexperience through the season and had several frustratingly close losses. This season looks to be better, and Archer sees the potential.

“The girls’ team needs to gain more experience and skill, but they do not lack in enthusiasm,” he notes.

Tennis is in a tough position with the move down to the B ranks; they still have to compete against the Caribou Trail League in Districts and with fellow Central Washington B schools. For some, this would be too much to overcome but Archer believes that this years’ team can run that gauntlet.

“It is a significant accomplishment to come out of district play as a winner and head to state, but that is always our goal,” he notes. “These kids thrive on a challenge.”

LR Tennis opens the season tomorrow at Omak, with matches starting at 4:15 p.m. The first home match is on Saturday, starting at 11 a.m. against Tonasket at the LR tennis courts.