Spring sports preview: Girls tennis

Head coach: Mark Textor (11th year)

Assistant: Allison Hastings

2018 finish: 13-2 (second in Olympic League 2A); one doubles team, tied for fourth place at state 2A tournament

Top returning players: Jessica Dietzman (jr.), Kalli Wiker (so.), Isabelle Hugoniot (sr.), Olivia Preston (so.), Amanda He (sr.), Arlene Law (sr.), Ashley Rosales (sr.), Emily Bundy (sr.), McKenna Hastings (so.), Chloe Goldate (jr.), Eden Johnson (jr.), Melissa Porter (so.), Corrine Klinger (jr.), Eva Lofstrom (jr.), Kristina Mingoy (jr.), Kayli Prorok (jr.), Wren Fierro Burdink (jr.), Matea Gradillas (jr.), Irie Reeder (jr.), Erin Rosengren (so.), Inna Roybal (so.), Raelee Wessel (jr.)

Newcomers: Sierra Abner (so.), Susan Anderson (sr.), Sofia Baruffi (fr.), Mirella Chavin (so.), Allie Gale (fr.), Elisa Heiber (jr.), Autumn Hilliard (jr.), Kaliegh Hingtgen (so.), Paula Martinez Saenz (jr.), Malory Morey (fr.), Ruby Romano (fr.), Aidyn Shingleton (fr.), Kaitlyn Simmons (sr.), Sidney Smith (sr.), Amanda Weller (so.)

Key league competition: North Kitsap (defending state 2A champ, 15-0 league champ), Kingston (3rd), Olympic (fourth)

Despite a cold opening to their season, Sequim’s girls tennis team is seeing plenty of action on the court as they gear up for the 2019 season.

“The weather’s been good so we have no excuse,” veteran coach Mark Textor noted at a recent preseason practice. “It’s been super cold but I haven’t heard anything (bad) from the girls.”

Doubles duo Jessica Dietzman and Kalli Wiker were anything but cold by the end of last season, tearing off 18 consecutive wins en route to Olympic League and West Central District titles. Their only loss came in the state 2A final, falling to Katrina Kuntzand and Nina Vongsaly of Sammamish.

Textor said it’s no lock that Dietzman, now a junior, and Wiker, a sophomore, will wind up playing together this spring.

“All the girls will play singles, all the girls will play doubles,” Textor said. “They (Dietzman and Wiker) are definitely a good doubles team. Things (can) change … but they had one heck of a run last year.”

Sequim lost Tea Gauthun and Amber Dietzman to graduation but see a slew of returning athletes and newcomers making up the team’s 35-player roster.

Senior Isabelle Hugoniot, who was 11-5 as a singles player (3-2 at league) in 2018 is back, as is Olivia Preston, who was 6-4 in singles last season.

Varsity senior returnees Amanda He, Arlene Law and Ashley Rosales, along with sophomore McKenna Hastings, bolster the lineup while Textor said he expects players such as Chloe Goldate and Melissa Porter to step into significant varsity roles this season.

“We have a lot of returners and a nice balance of seniors, juniors and sophomore,” Textor noted. “The turnout has been good and focused.”

The Sequim coach praised senior leadership from Law, Hugoniot, Rosales and Emily Bundy.

Olympic’s Trojans are going to be a tough match-up for Sequim, along with Port Angeles and the defending state champs: Backed by 2A singles champ Danya Wallis, North Kitsap won the state 2A girls tennis team title in 2018. The Vikings figure to be a strong Olympic League foe for Sequim, Textor said, despite losing their top two players to graduation.

Last season, Sequim went 13-2 and finished in a tie for fourth place at the state 2A tournament.

“We have a really good chance to finish in the top three; we have a solid group that was in the top three last year,” Textor said.

“They are very coachable. That usually correlates to success on the court.”

Sequim High senior Isabelle Hugoniot posted 11 wins in singles play in 2018. Sequim Gazette file photo by Michael Dashiell