HOULTON, Maine — A new, but familiar coach is roaming the sidelines for the Houlton boys and girls tennis teams this season.
Nancy Mooers has taken over the tennis program from veteran coach Jean Maunder, who retired at the end of last season. Mooers assisted with the varsity team last season, and coached junior high tennis in the 1990s.
“Overall we should do pretty well,” Mooers said. “The first match against Caribou was tough. They have a very experienced team.”
Finding time outside to practice has also been difficult, the coach said.
“We had to postpone a match due to weather,” she said. “The courts cleared the week before spring break so we’ve had some outside practices. We concentrated on volleys and serve inside as the bounce from the gym floor is quite different from what one gets from a court. If we can get a good solid week of outdoor play, hopefully the inside work — improved conditioning, concentration, control and form — will show.
The Shires have a nice returning mix of veterans and newcomers on both the boys’ and girls’ squads.
The boys’ team features senior Owen Gallop (second singles), juniors Tim Youngfellow (first doubles), Devin Ivey (third singles) and Justin Hogan (alternate); sophomore Nolan Porter (first singles); and freshmen Nate Delucca (first doubles), Jeron Gentle (second doubles), Isaac Vega (second doubles) and Nolan Jacobs (alternate).
For the girls’ squad, several players graduated from last year’s squad, opening the door for new players to step up this season. The roster includes seniors Nadja Messerschmidt (first doubles) and Tessa McCormick (first doubles); juniors Rebecca Mooers (first singles) and Carolyn Hannigan (second doubles); and freshmen Sydney Lorom (second singles), Maddie Grant (third singles) and Grace Johnson (second doubles).
Rebecca Mooers, the coach’s daughter, was named to the All-Aroostook team last season.
“This combination of new and experienced team members gives the team a good foundation for growth in the sport,” the new head coach said.
Last year, the Shire girls finished 6-6 and secured the sixth seed in the playoffs. Houlton beat Calais, 4-1, in the preliminary round, but fell to No. 3 Penobscot Valley, 4-1, in the quarterfinals. The boys team finished 0-12.
“I’d like to see everyone improve his/her game, the coach said. “We need more power, variety of shots and consistency.”
