Shooting for the big trophy
Community School tennis team swings for success
By JODY ZARKOS
Express Staff Writer
Like a true California native, Community School tennis
coach Mark Scribner as is laid-back as a broken beach chair.
When asked about who will flesh out certain slots on the
squad, the fifth-year coach says he is not quite sure—even with the team’s
first meet just a few days away.
But underneath the mellow exterior, the calculating coach
is a man with a plan.
When pressed, Scribner already has an idea how the state
tournament will unfold and who will be providing the team with points to
propel it to its first-ever state championship.
The Community School has captured three State Class B
runner-up trophies in four years including last spring’s impressive
76-point showing behind Bishop Kelly of Boise.
"I expect to be pretty strong in boy’s
singles," Scribner said of #1 Ryan Drew, #2 John Kennedy and #3 Luke
Fostvedt. "I don’t think anyone is going to match us
depth-wise."
He also described undefeated two-time state girls’
singles champion Lauren Drew, now a junior, as a "lock" to
three-peat when the state meet is held May 18-19 in Boise.
"Lauren’s lost four games in the past two years.
People aren’t really going to get any mileage trying to compete with us
in singles," he said.
In addition to the state championship by Lauren, the Drews
were district champions last year, and Ryan, 17 months older than Lauren,
was boys‘ singles runner-up at state.
But Scribner also keeps an eye on the cross-town Wood
River team and knows state and district titles (the Cutthroats are gunning
for their fourth district title in a row) are not going to be delivered on
singles points alone.
Enter the #1 boys’ doubles duo of seniors Alex McCoy and
Carson Sofro, who finished third at state with a 4-1 record.
"They should finish in the top three," Scribner
assessed.
Also returning this season is junior Tami Parten who won
the district title in mixed doubles with Chris McCoy and went 3-2 at
state.
"I would say Wood River (third at state with 56
points in 2000) is heavily favored. They should be very tough to beat. It’s
going to be close.
"I see the race between us, Wood River, Parma and
Homedale," he added.
Paving the way for these predictions is the absence of
Bishop Kelly. The Knights, state winners from 1998-2000, earned 12 state
team titles in the 32 years of State Class B tennis. But Bishop Kelly made
the move up to the new Class A Division 2 for the 2001 season.
In 2000, Ketchum/Sun Valley took nine players to the state
and scored a school-record 76 points to the Knights’ 107 points on 14
entries. Five of those state players return.
Seniors who will wear the Cutthroats blue-and-white are
John Welsh, Doug Potters, Claire Cetera and Linda Baumgardner.
Juniors are Lili Tenney, Madeleine Weisz, Abby Minford,
Sarah Bahan, Zac Koffler, Josh Stanek, Lee Gurney, Josh Kantor and Chadd
Montgomery.
Rounding out the sophomore class are Reid Welsh, Elke
Wiethorn and Anika Van Eaton.
Scribner is very high on his freshmen team members Amy
Alexander, Erin Magee, Joan Baumgardner and Fostvedt.
"They are good additions to the team. They have
played organized tennis," he said.
Ketchum/Sun Valley opens the season at Twin Falls High
School today. The Cutthroats play Sugar-Salem and Wood River at Ironwood
Tennis Club in Hailey on Friday afternoon.
