Preview: Girl's Tennis

James Wood

Coach: Sharon Sweet, 3rd year

Last year: 6-8 (2-6 Northwestern District); lost to Handley in district semifinals.

Key losses: Rachel Sours, Holly Landes.

Top returning players: Fae Schweizer, Jr., Kelsey Nicely, Sr., Ashley Hillyard, Soph., Katie Schott, Soph., Allie Cooper, Soph., Haley Burke, Soph.

Newcomers: None mentioned.

Outlook: Four of the Colonels’ top six players are sophomores and there’s only one senior in the top six. Despite that youth, Sweet likes what she sees from her team, which got its first win against Musselman (W.Va.) on Friday after losing its first two matches to Broadway and Washington.

“They’re a hard-working group, and they could be a factor in the district race,” Sweet said.

James Wood (1-3, 0-1 Northwestern) will benefit this season from the return of Schweizer to the No. 1 position on the Colonels.

“She sets a good example and helps show the team what they need to do to be successful,” Sweet said.

As for the sophomore class, Sweet thinks Hillyard could be someone who steps up big this year because of the aggressive manner in which she plays.

Millbrook