Central Oregonian

CCHS tennis squad looking to build depth

Much of 2012 team returns, but team still needs more players

Lon Austin

March 11, 2013

The Crook County High School boys tennis team returns much of last year's varsity team.

"I'm having a great time and the kids are doing great," said first year head coach Michael Boyd. "Things are going well and we are starting to establish a pecking order."

Still the team could use some more depth. Geoff Gerdes, Ory Fultz, Oliver Peterson, and Brick Woodward return with varsity experience. Still the remainder of the team is untested.

In 2012 the team dropped a number of matches because they were unable to fill a complete roster. This year the team may have a similar problem as at last report they had just eight players.

The Intermountain Hybrid league plays four singles and four doubles matches in each dual, which means that if the Cowboys don't pick up more players they will have to forfeit several matches each time they play.

However, the team is in a much better situation in the Greater Oregon League where they will compete at district. The GOL uses just nine players for their dual matches so the Cowboys should still be able to compete successfully at that level.

Gerdes is expected to be the Cowboy's top singles player, while Fultz, Peterson, and Woodward may all try their hand at both singles and doubles competition.

Boyd added that all his returning players are looking strong, while the newcomers are working hard and are still in the learning stage.

Weather permitting, the team will open the season Thursday when they travel to Black Butte Ranch to take on the Sisters Outlaws. Matches are scheduled to start at 4 p.m.

"We're going to give it our best shot to win a bunch of matches this year," Boyd said.