For the week of April 9 - 15, 2003

Singles still looking strong for Cutthroats

2003 prep tennis season to begin

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Sibling stars Lauren and Ryan Drew have graduated to college classes and tennis courts in California and Ohio.

That means this spring’s Community School tennis team won’t have the girls’ and boys’ anchors of its State 3A championship squads in 2002 and 2001.

But, despite the Drews’ departure and the relative youth of coach Mark Scribner’s 2003 squad, The Community School might still be the best in Idaho.

"We have a really young team," said seventh-year coach Mark Scribner, whose six previous Cutthroat teams have averaged an impressive 69 points at state over that span.

Scribner said the Cutthroats have five seniors, three juniors, five sophomores and seven freshmen among the 24 kids out for the 2003 tennis team.

Gone to Scripps College in California is Lauren Drew, four-time state girls’ singles queen. Off to Ohio Wesleyan is Ryan Drew, two-time State 3A boys’ singles champion.

So, will the Cutthroats be vulnerable in singles?

Forget it.

Scribner said, "This is probably the strongest boys’ singles group we’ve had, even compared to last year. We can play with anyone in the state."

That’s bad news for the other 3A schools in the state, particularly since the Cutthroats piled up 56 points in singles en route to a 94-65 team win over Homedale at last year’s state tourney in Boise.

Scribner’s Sun Valley powerhouse has won five straight district championships and has three state runner-up trophies to go with its two state championships over the five years.

Although he lost two state champions, Scribner has two state winners returning in 2003.

Last May Joel Evans and Luke Fostvedt gave The Community School its first-ever state title in boys’ doubles.

Evans, a senior, is penciled in for boys’ singles this spring along with sophomore Tyler Martin and freshman Scooter Sabel. Martin won three matches at state last year.

Fostvedt, now a junior, will play #1 boys’ doubles with freshman Sam Mott. Sophomore Ben Roth and freshman Kevin Wade are #2 doubles.

Heir apparent to Lauren Drew in girls’ singles is junior Amy Alexander, who placed second at the district tournament and won twice at state.

With Alexander at #1 girls’ singles and freshman Jordan White looking good at #2, there will be a battle for #3 girls’ singles between senior Morgan LaPeter and three talented freshmen—Elizabeth Bates, Ginna Anderson and Lily Mott.

Girls’ doubles was a strong point for The Community School’s arch-rival Wood River last May when juniors Ashley Lakey and Jessie Woodyard won the 2002 state title.

But Scribner has a couple of strong contenders in the #1 girls’ pair of seniors Pauli Ochi and Erika Connelly, and the #2 squad of Caitlin Cairncross and Blake Ellis, both sophomores.

Having graduated district mixed doubles champions and state runner-up Josh Kantor and Langely McNeal, the Cutthroats will be trying to cobble together another strong entry.

Senior Juan Munoz and junior Joan Baumgardner will open the year at #1 mixed. Another sophomore prospect, J.P. McNeal, played mixed doubles for the Cutthroats last spring.

The Community School, fielding a tennis team for the 20th year, will open its always-abbreviated spring tennis season April 10 at Twin Falls.

Because of school-related conflicts (juniors taking SATs, sophomores traveling to Ashland, Ore. and freshmen to Island Park), the Cutthroats won’t compete in the Capital Invitational in Boise May 2-3.

Home matches will still be held at Warm Springs Tennis Club in Ketchum. Matches against Wood River are set for April 21 in Hailey and May 5 at Warm Springs. Sun Valley Tennis Club hosts districts.

 

Update on Drews

Lauren Drew is playing #3 singles and #1 doubles at Scripps College in southern California. Brother Ryan Drew has played #1 singles and #1 doubles for the Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops (6-6, 0-2 North Coast Athletic Conference).

 

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