newsminer.com

FAIRBANKS — The high school tennis season smashes to a start today at the Dan Ramras Community Tennis Courts.

Rivals West Valley and Lathrop will clash at 3:15 p.m., with North Pole and Hutchison set to start at 6.

About 100 student-athletes are signed up so far at the six Region VI programs, co-coordinator Gwen Ramras said Tuesday.

Among the top returning players are Eric Ringstad of Monroe Catholic; Sean Sullivan, Drew Lanning, Tyler Loud and Becca Gryder of Lathrop; Chris Poole of Hutchison and Forest Owen and Aurora Roth of West Valley.

“A number of kids have spent some time (this summer) at tennis academies in the Lower 48,” Gwen Ramras said.

West Valley, which placed second last season in the first Alaska State Tennis Championships, has taken a hit with the graduation of state singles champion Ryan Hallsten and the relocation to Las Vegas of coach John McElroy.

Debbie Miller is the Wolfpack’s new head coach, moving up from junior varsity, which will now be led by the father-son duo of Lou and Jordan Gross.

Bobby Trujillo takes over at Monroe Catholic, while Milo Griffin (Lathrop) and Joe Sullivan (Hutchison) return to their posts.

So does Carol Smith at North Pole, but she’s now doing double duty and will also lead Eielson. That should make things interesting when the Patriots and Ravens match up in a pair of dual meets this season. They first meet Aug. 19 at North Pole, and return there Sept. 13 with Eielson as host.