Jackson tennis still division kings

Unbeaten through 10 matches, girls continue roll

By Tony Dondero

Enterprise reporter

The Jackson girls tennis team keeps on rolling.

The surprising first-place Timberwolves improved to 10-0 on the season with a 6-1 win over Shorecrest Monday, April 21, at Jackson High School.

No. 1 singles player Linda Cung improved to 8-2 with a 6-0, 6-3 win over Shorecrest’s Alena Owen.

Cung played Shorecrest’s Kelsey Monson last time the teams met, and Monson took her to three sets. Despite coming back from the flu, Cung dominated Owen.

“(Owen’s) a really strong player but Linda just played exceptionally well today,” Jackson coach Judi Montgomery said. “Her groundstrokes were really on today and she moved Alena back and forth and I think she tired her out.

“Linda tends to be one of the most consistent players I’ve had in 14 years at Jackson,” Montgomery said. “She’s very consistent and deceptive in where her ball is going to go.”

Jennifer Wilson, Jackson’s No. 2 singles player, beat Shorecrest’s Kyoke Izawa 6-2, 6-4 while Jackson’s Rosana Tran beat Monson, 6-4, 6-4 at No. 3 singles.

Shorecrest’s Natalie Simpson defeated Jackson’s Kristina Huynh 3-6, 6-4, 6-0 at No. 4 singles for Shorecrest’s only victory of the meet.

In No. 1 doubles, Jackson’s Hana Kang and Tia Lee beat Keni Foster and Kim Do, 6-1, 6-1 to improve to 10-0. Jackson’s No. 2 doubles team of Sandra Hong and Elaine Kim got by Kimi Smith and Angel Mach, 6-1, 5-7, 6-1 while Jackson’s Joanne Shin and Annika Swenson knocked off Karin Logan and Nana Ishiara, 6-2, 6-2 at No. 3 doubles.

So what has been the secret to Jackson’s success? The Timberwolves were expected to be the third-best team in the Western Conference South Division going into the season.

But Jackson beat Edmonds-Woodway and Shorewood in the first half of the season and found themselves all alone at the top of the league.

“We’re just kind of quiet,” Montgomery said. “I’m pleasantly surprised. I lost seven seniors last year and these girls have all come up through the C team and JV. All these players have played three and four years for me.”

Among the surprises have been junior Rosana Tran at No. 3 singles and junior Kristina Huynh at No. 4 singles. Juniors Sandra Hong and Annika Swenson have been pleasant surprises in doubles.

Cung, Wilson, Kang, Lee, Kim and Shin played varsity last year and Tran played some varsity. The rest of the ladder moved up from JV. Hong, Kim, Huynh and Swenson all started their careers on the C team.

Seventy-four girls turned out for tennis, a non-cut sport.

At the beginning of the year the goal of senior captains Kang and Shin was to just have fun.

“It’s put a whole different dynamic in the team, they’re just playing to go out and have fun every time. We don’t have any stars, any one great player on the team we just have a group of girls this season that have got really good camaraderie between them. They just play as a team,” Montgomery said.

The league title will come down to matches April 30 against Shorewood and May 2 against Edmonds-Woodway.

“I don’t think they’re any deeper than any other team they just have a will not to lose,” Montgomery said of her squad. “Shorewood, Jackson and Edmonds-Woodway are pretty equal.”