Tennis starts season Friday

It will be an equal mix of youth and experience for the Whitehall High School tennis team when they open the season March 31 in Livingston.

According to head coach Kerry Sacry, the team will have six returning players, five of them with varsity experience. The team will also include seven freshmen players.

Sacry is very pleased with the high number of freshmen, and said while they do not have experience, he has high hopes.

He also has tall expectations for the returning members of the team including at number one singles where Monica Sepulveda will return after qualifying for the state tournament in 2016.

Both Sepulveda and her coach said the goal in 2017 is to see her place at the state tournament in Missoula.

The doubles team of Amber Murrish and Evelin Ramirez will also return after placing at last years' divisional tournament. Sacry said he would like to see them qualify for state.

Going into the season, Sacry knows their conference will be tough, but said Whitehall has some pretty good tennis players.

The assistant coach for the team will be Malcom Neil, who Sacry said won first place at the Butte Tournament last summer. Sacry added Neil is a great asset to have on staff.

Local fans will get a chance to see the Lady Trojans in action three times this season.

Whitehall will be one of three teams hosting the DAWG B.I.T.E Tournament April 29 and 30, and will also have a home competition May 2 at 2 p.m.

Sepulveda is the lone senior on the team.

The juniors on the 2017 team are Ramirez, Murrish, Kyeli Ostler and Stephanie Ellis.

Iris Heimberg is the only sophomore on the team. The freshman are Isabel Evans, Morgan Benner, Britney Welker, Kaya Smith, Alicia Konold, Alyssa Frankenstein and Bailee Hess.