Flathead High School’s tennis program has senior leadership, talent and a strong turnout this year. What it doesn’t have is much state experience. But coach Buck Measure, judging by his team’s early-season improvement, thinks a few Braves and Bravettes might get their first taste of state action when May rolls around.
For now, this early in the season, Measure isn’t concerned with looking too far into the future. He likes what he sees now, which is notable improvement from both his boys and girls through the first few weeks of the 2010 season.
“We’ve got a good balance of veteran players and new players to the game,” Measure said. “The turnout was a strong showing of kids.”
More than 60 athletes are on Flathead’s tennis roster this year, counting both the junior varsity and varsity squads for boys and girls. Measure is in his eighth year as head coach of the tennis program and in his 10th year overall on the coaching staff.
Senior Brett Harrison is the only player on the roster with state tournament experience, Measure said. Harrison qualified for state in doubles as a freshman and sophomore. No boys made it to state last year for the Braves.
The girls lost their top player from last year, Izzy Makman, to graduation. Makman won two matches at the Class AA state tournament, topping players from Billings West and Missoula Hellgate before losing to Helena Capital’s Erin Ratcliff in the consolation quarterfinals.
Despite the lack of postseason experience, Measure said he has a good group of seniors looking to parlay four years’ of Class AA experience into a memorable final season.
For boys, Measure said senior Jon Cattron is one of the top singles players, along with Harrison. Cattron and Harrison are also part of Measure’s “mix-and-match” doubles teams. Measure said four boys alternate on the doubles squads.
Measure also has reliable seniors on his girls team, led by Kenisha Himsl and Lisa Kelsey at the singles positions. The Bravettes’ top doubles team is senior Maxine Sugarman and her younger sister, freshman Barrie Sugarman.
Measure is pleased with the Sugarmans’ performance so far this season and believes they can be competitive at divisionals. The older Sugarman, in her fourth year on the varsity squad, is looking for her first trip to state.
With the Sugarmans on the girls squad, and the alternating teammates on the boys side, Measure feels good about Flathead’s chances in doubles play, which he says is vital.
“I feel doubles is a big part of our team’s strong point,” Measure said. “Therefore, we need to develop those doubles teams early in the season so that they’re able to mesh with their partners.”
The divisional tournament is on May 13-14. Between now and then, Measure hopes to continue honing his doubles teams’ skills and improving the conditioning of his singles players, who must be able to endure multi-match days throughout April’s regular season.
“One of our ultimate goals is to have a competitive team at divisionals,” Measure said. “I’ve liked our improvement. Even though our win-loss record isn’t as strong as a coach would like it to be, we’re seeing improvements.”