Young and restless to improve

By Dean Wong

In a rebuilding year, the girl's tennis team at Ballard High School is hard at work improving and keeping their program moving forward.

The team lost some key players to graduation and some sophomores and other underclassmen have taken on greater roles.

"The girls have worked hard in the off-season to come in and fill the varsity positions. We have a lot of learning going on," said head coach Brad Hamilton.

The team is working on tennis strategy and tactics this spring.

"We want to have fun, but the girls need a solid year of good instruction to build a foundation to move forward," said Hamilton.

The singles positions are set with Zoe Cross-Karras number one. She is followed in order by: Julia Canty; Lucy Miner; Riley Smithgall; Emiko Kobayashi; and Maddie Haller.

Cross-Karras qualified for number one through the team's challenge process, where teammates square off against one another in matches.

"She has demonstrated she can play at this level. She needs to figure out what is missing in her game, work on it and execute," said Hamilton.

Canty is also building on her technical skills as she holds down the number two spot. Canty brings a lot of "fire and intensity" to the game.

"I expect a lot from her in the last couple of weeks in the season," said Hamilton.

Canty and Miner form the number one doubles team. Cross Karras and Smithgall the other.

The number three doubles combination of Risha Schildkraut and Jimena Diaz has stood out with their steady improvement.

"They are playing better than some of the one and two teams in terms of strategy. What they are building on is amazing to see," said Hamilton.

Several matches have been canceled or have ended early due to rain, including last Wednesdays Ballard and Lakeside match at Lower Woodland.

In a 9-0 win over Franklin, the Beavers' Cross-Karras, Canty, Miner, Smithgall and Kobayashi all earned singles wins. Canty and Miner teamed up in doubles for a win, as did Smithgall and Cross-Karras.

Miner won her singles match in a team, 6-1 loss to Lake Washington.

Ballard had the upper hand in a 7-2 team win over Seattle Academy. Cross-Karras, Miner, Smithgall, Katie Lee and Haller had singles wins. Lee and Schildkraut earned a doubles win. Anna Brokhaug and Mary Madore-Girouard also won in doubles.

Miner and Lee won their singles matches in a 7-1 team loss to Bellevue.