The girls’ and boys’ tennis teams are off to a great start this year. Both teams practice Monday through Thursday, running laps around the courts, doing drills, playing various skill games, and competing in sets against one another.

As Kasey Hamaway, tennis program director, said earlier this week, “The girls’ team is looking strong this year!” She is certainly right, as the girls are undefeated with a 4-0 record so far.

The girls’ team is lead by three co-captains, seniors Ines de Bracamonte and Kaely Malik, along with sophomore Stephanie Taylor. All three girls have plenty of experience on the Pine Crest tennis team, and the two seniors will be playing tennis at the college level next year. Ines will be playing at Bates College, while Kaely will be playing at Boston University. The girls’ team has all of the top players returning and has even added sophomore transfer Danielle Obolevitch to an already impressive roster.

It is sophomore Sterlin Hirsch’s first year on the team, and already she is very inspired by Coach Kurtz before every match. She noted, “He always tells us to try our hardest and that it doesn’t matter if we win or lose, as long as we put forth our best effort.”

The girls are looking to defend their 2014 District Title. The head coach of the girls’ team, Brett Kurtz, says, “We are one of the top three teams in the state and will be aiming for a chance to play defending state champion Gulliver in the Regional final.” He clearly has high expectations for this team, after an incredible run last season. They will travel to Chattanooga, Tennessee on March 19^th, aiming to improve upon their third place finish last year at the prestigious Deco Turf National Championships, which features some of the top high school teams in the nation.

[ot-caption title=”Sophomore co-captain, Stephanie Taylor remains laser focused even in practice. (via Nicole Odzer, Junior)” url=”https://pcpawprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/IMG_2091.jpg”]

The boys’ team is looking to improve upon their 3^rd place District finish last year, and that definitely seems feasible as they currently have an impressive 3-1 record.  The team has new added strength with the addition of senior Jonah Mishkel and sophomore transfer Parsa Hoghooghi, who are also the co-captains of this inexperienced yet talented team. Coach Brett Kurtz stated that, “The boys have good depth on the team.” That depth will be key moving forward if the boys hope to go further in the postseason.

Junior and number one seed on the boys’ team, Sam Dern gave his expectations on the team going forward. “Our goals for this year are to keep getting better and to definitely get out of districts and be competitive at regionals.” When asked who the leaders of the team are, he answered, “Izzy Ercan is a vocal senior who’s been a leader.”

Along with sophomore transfer Parsa Hoghooghi, Jubin Gorji is also a first year player on this team. He says that, “Joining the tennis team was one of my greatest decisions. Not only is being part of the tennis team fun, but it also teaches you many leadership and athletic skills. I have met many new people as a result of joining it and I am excited to be able to play for the Pine Crest Varsity team for this season. Both of the Varsity Tennis team coaches, Malik and Kurtz, have been very supportive of the team and I.” Jubin says that the boys’ goals are to improve their skills, win as many matches against other schools as possible, and win the district championship. Although this year’s boys’ team does not have a lot of experience, it is certainly clear that they are positive and excited for what they can accomplish moving forward.

The boys’ team aims to finish in the top two at Districts to have a chance to play in Regionals, while the girls look to defend their district title and win the state championship, so make sure to come out and cheer on your Panthers in their quest for a state championship!