LAPEL — There’s nothing like starting the season with a big test, and the Lapel High School girls tennis team always faces a big one from the start.
Besides a scrimmage, the Bulldogs start their season with the Madison County tournament, but coach Justin Coomer isn’t bothered by the perennial challenge.
Even if it might be a bigger test than usual.
In previous seasons, the team has had a match on the Tuesday leading into county play, but not this year. Lapel will be on spring break the week prior to the tournament.
“We’ll have just two practices before the county,” Coomer said. “We’re pretty inexperienced this year.”
With just senior Emily Eppert and sophomore Bailey Baxter returning with strong varsity experience, the two will work to guide the others.
While some have junior varsity experience, others are new to the team, Coomer said, and they will be learning on the fly.
As always with spring sports, getting actual court time can be a challenge with the up-and-down weather. Once they can have regular outside practices, things can change.
“We’ll see who fits where,” Coomer said. “Who fits with doubles, singles and just start to prepare.”
While the Bulldogs aren’t totally new to the courts, there’s not a lot of varsity experience, and Coomer expects lineups to change throughout the early part of the season.
“We have solid numbers and only three seniors,” he said.
So the Bulldogs will build, and Coomer wants to see the team progress every week, getting better so by the end of the season, not only will the team get the experience it needs but also be playing its best by the last match and hopefully have a winning season.
Lapel had a scrimmage set for Wednesday against Frankton (after press time), and county begins Wednesday, April 10, at Frankton.
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Seniors
Emily Eppert
Julia Beeler
Kara Lutz
Juniors
Zoe Freer
Caitlin Stewart
Sydni Marshall
Megan Sundheimer
Lauren Lutz
Sophomores
Makayla McDole
Kendall Douglas
Myla Zicafoose
Mariah Mason
Bailey Baxter
Lauren Richards
Freshmen
Lily Humerickhouse
Chloe Renihan
Ally Wolfgang
Morgan Erwin
Georgia Manning
Zoe Moore
Madelyn Paddock
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