Weiser tennis team has depth and experience

The Weiser High School tennis team has plenty of depth this season with 34 players on the roster, including 12 players who are new to the program.
 The team returns seven seniors and lots of juniors with experience. Eight freshmen have joined the program, and many of those have played in the middle school program, which bodes well for the future of Wolverine tennis.
 Coach Angie Soulen said the varsity singles spots and doubles teams have not been finalized yet. Coaches will have a better idea of where to place players after the season starts and they can see players in action. The varsity team of 18 players will have nine positions for boys and nine positions for girls, plus a couple of players for backup.
 Since practice started in February, inclement weather has kept the team indoors doing drills and working on fundamentals and footwork. Players were able to get out on the courts last week at Memorial Park for the first time.
 In 2018, Weiser sent nine varsity players in singles, doubles and mixed doubles to the 3A State Championships and most are back for another season with lots of tournament experience.
 Junior Grace Soulen qualified for state for the past two years in singles and will be expected to play strong this year. Soulen placed third last year in the 3A state championships in singles.
 Andrea Bouvia is another junior who played singles last year and is back for another season with experience. She won her first two matches at state last year before meeting up with the SRV District champion, who went on to win the 3A state singles title.
 Junior Sienna McClelland and senior Brooke Anderson were paired in girls doubles and qualified for a trip to state last year. Both are back for another season.
 Senior Kelvin Price played mixed doubles last year and went to state with Sara Renkens, an exchange student from Germany who has since gone back home. 
 Senior Eli To’omalatai qualified for state last year in boys singles and is a tenacious and tireless competitor on the court. His younger brother, Isaac also is back. The junior improved his game and got stronger as the season progressed last year. 
 The Westover brothers, Matt and Mitch, are back for their senior seasons and are experienced players with speed on the court. Matt and returning senior Karson Brush qualified for state last year as a doubles team. 
 Soulen, who starts her sixth season as coach, said she expects the Wolverines to be competitive this year.
 “I’m super excited about the season, not only because our team has really matured physically and mentally but also because of the 12 new kids who are on the team. Eight are freshmen and the majority went through three years of the middle school tennis program, so they’re ready to play competitive tennis,” she said.
 As she looks around the SRV Conference, Soulen said Fruitland and Parma always are at or near the top of the best league teams to beat. She thinks the Wolverines have the talent and experience to match up well against any conference team this year.
 “Fruitland and Parma are always great competition, but this year I think the Weiser Wolverine tennis team looks well rounded, deep and hungry for some wins,” Soulen said.
 Assisting Soulen with coaching duties are assistant coach Bernie Weldon and Jud Tolman and Brad Maxfield.
 The Wolverines started the season with a roadtrip to Baker, Ore., on Tuesday, March 12. The team will be home against Vale on Thursday, March 14.
 

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Signal American

18 E. Idaho St.
Weiser, ID 83672
PH: (208) 549-1717
FAX: (208) 549-1718
 

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