It snowed just hard enough earlier in the day on Tuesday, April 10, to make the courts at Parque de Vida wet. The Panther girls tennis team got in some practice just before they were scheduled to tangle with the Demons. Right at the time for the first serve, the snowshowers came again and damped the court more. They waited another 30 minutes and then postponed the match.

"At least we got in some practice time," head coach Ricky Carver said.

Several of the Panthers have been pretty well so far this season, according to Carver.

Montezuma-Cortez High School’s top singles player Itsuki Hyakuno, a Japanese exchange student, won all five of her matches before the recently-held Western Slope Open in Grand Junction.

"She has played in quite a few matches. She’s won against Cedaredge, Delta, Paonia, Montrose and Fruita-Monument. She also won her first match of the Western Slope Open before finally falling to a girl from Arvada-West in three sets. She had her beat but she shanked a couple and that was the difference (6-7, 6-1, 8-10). She is looking very good," he reported.

No. 2 singles player Jenny Trendlebender, a German foreign exchange student, also has been playing well when she has played. She has missed a few matches. Cassie Carver, Chesleigh Keene, and Tracy Berhost has played in that spot and have done well. Trendlebender lost against Montrose but has steadily improved her game and played with confidence against Fruita-Monument, according to Carver.

No. 3 singles player Emily Harclerode has played well at times. She won matches against Paonia and Cedaredge. Harclerode lost to Montrose and Fruita, but only because she has bad habit of hitting the ball all time right down the center of the court. She also lost in the first round of the Western Slope Open and lost in a playback but she had a very tough bracket.

"She’s consistent with her stroke, but it just goes down the center every single time. We’ve been working with her to change that," he added.

Keene and Amanda Frazier are currently playing no. 1 doubles. They are struggling right now, according to Carver. They didn’t play well at all against Montrose.

No. 2 doubles has been Berhost and Ashley Reed. No. 3 doubles has been Colette Hall and Ariste Potillo. No. 4 doubles has been Liz Dennison and Carver.

"All my doubles teams have not been playing very well. I know they can play a lot better. They just need to focus more at practice and during games.

In a recent match against Fruita, the Panthers lost their first set rather easily and then played competitively in the second. Carver noted that every girl played very well in the second set that day. No. 1 doubles won the second set but lost the third. No. 4 doubles was up 5-2 but ended up losing the second set.

He said the trouble with this team right now is that they are not focusing on the task at hand.

"They just have a hard time focusing and staying focused. They seem to let their attention wander. I have to tell them things over and over and over. They just are not focusing. They are getting better but it has been a constant battle.

"However, I am staying optimistic. Because although they are young, they are coming around and improving their game," he added.

Carver took all but the top three players to Farmington on Thursday, April 12, to play junior varsity matches against Piedra Vista and Bloomfield at the new courts at the Family Sports Center. Both schools have formed teams.