Softball players take to the court to help tennis team
Last year, the San Benito High girls’ tennis team posted a
mediocre record of 6-6. This year, thanks to a number of returning
players and some solid athletes from the softball team that opted
to play tennis this fall, coach Ed Cecena is expecting his 2007
squad to look very respectable on the court.
Softball players take to the court to help tennis team
Last year, the San Benito High girls’ tennis team posted a mediocre record of 6-6. This year, thanks to a number of returning players and some solid athletes from the softball team that opted to play tennis this fall, coach Ed Cecena is expecting his 2007 squad to look very respectable on the court.
“We have some players that should win some matches. It’s a nice mix this year. Then again, it’s the same old story too. You’ve got to contend with the depth of Notre Dame and Salinas.”
If tennis wasn’t played on a court, anyone watching the Baler No. 1 and No. 2 doubles teams would think they were watching the school’s softball team instead as four players from the school’s back-to-back Central Coast Section championship team are trying to serve up aces instead of belting homeruns this fall.
Making up the No. 1 doubles team is Elena Fata, the MVP of the league in softball, and All-League Second Team centerfielder Rachel Maheu.
“They are both very athletic and they compete very well,” Cecena said. “They might not have the best technique but they are able to hold on because of their athletic ability.”
While the No. 1 doubles team has the league’s softball MVP, the Balers No. 2 doubles team includes the league’s top pitcher Marissa Ibarra. In addition to posting a record of 32-2 last spring, she had an overall ERA of .72 and a league ERA that was probably the lowest in history at .025. Ibarra also tossed five no-hitters at the opposition and had 19 shutouts.
Cecena is hoping that some of Ibarra’s success on the diamond will rub off on the court. Her teammate on the No. 2 doubles squad, Crystal Perreira, also played softball last spring.
“They too are very athletic and starting to play well,” Cecena said.
In singles play the Balers will look to junior Amanda Marshall to get things done on the court again this season. The team’s returning No. 1 singles player of a year ago, she is expected to be one of the top singles players in the league.
“A year ago, she lost in the league semifinals (to Salinas’ Kelsey Nicks) so I’m expecting her to be a top player again this year,” Cecena said.
Filling the No. 2 singles spot on the roster this fall is sophomore Yumi Chang. A year ago, Chang played in the No. 4 singles spot but has worked hard during the off season to improve her play on the court.
“She has really come a long, long way in a year,” Cecena said. “She played in a lot of tournaments over the summer. She plays year-round, is serious about the game and has been taking lessons. She should do well this year.”
The team’s No. 3 and No. 4 singles spots are expected to be shuffled back and forth between senior Kaitlyn O’Keefe and junior Abby Woods, who will compete against one another in challenge matches at practice to determine which player will play in which spot each week.
“They are pretty much interchangeable,” Cecena said. “Abby played with us as a sophomore last year and played over the summer so she is experienced. Kaitlyn has improved a lot. She is very aggressive and willing to come up to the net – something you don’t often see in girls’ tennis.”
While most roster spots on the team are filled, the biggest battle this preseason has been finding the right players to fill the void in the No. 3 doubles team spot. Currently, sophomore Rachel Smith and junior Bri Ahumada-Wolfsmith are competing against senior Jaclyn Roquemore and Lauren Ademek for the final doubles spot.
“We are hoping to win the league title this year. That is always our goal,” Cecena said. “I also always try and teach the girls how to play and have fun with it so that they can hopefully continue playing after they graduate.”
