SHORELINE — Graduation has left many gaps to fill in the Shorecrest girls tennis team’s lineup this season.
Talent certainly exists, but the Scots are a young team with the exit of 10 seniors off last year’s team. Graduates include Annelise Owen and Ashley Opdyke, who finished sixth in doubles at the state Class 3A tournament last year and are both playing in college.
Senior Roxanne Sharkey, who had a winning record at No. 4 singles last year, returns as the Scots’ top singles player this season.
Sophomore Alena Owen, who played doubles last year, fills the No. 2 singles slot.
The No. 3 and 4 spots are still up for grabs but so far sophomore Kelsey Monson and senior Elise Cantini have filled the slots.
The first half of the season is a time to learn and not worry so much about the team’s record, Shorecrest head coach Barry Majorowicz said.
That’s especially true of the doubles lineup where Scots have a large pool of players that played JV last year.
They include junior Lexie Hinze, freshman Lauren Olson, junior Theresa Leigh, senior Jessica English, sophomore Natalie Simpson, junior Hana Fallisgaard, junior Nora Reikosky, senior Larissa Gavrolova and junior Nicole Dodson.
The Scots have consistently been able to keep the ball in play, which has been a strength so far, Majorowicz said.
The attitude of the players also has been positive, he said.
“They seem to like each other,” Majorowicz said. “They support each other in matches and are encouraging each other.”
Last year, the Scots went 11-5 in the Western Conference South Division and finished fourth.
Defending league champion Shorewood figures to be the favorite to win the league, with Jackson, Meadowdale and Edmonds-Woodway contending as well, Majorowicz said.
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