Bulldogs to host Brawley in tennis opener Thursday

The Brawley High School girls tennis team will travel to Ramona for a match today, Aug. 27, to open Ramona High School’s 2015 season.

“I think we’re going to have a strong season,” said coach Rose Darrough.

“We’re fairly young,” Darrough said. “It’s going to be interesting for some of the newer players.”

In a high school tennis match, each singles player plays a set against each of the other school’s singles players while each doubles team plays against each of the three opposing doubles teams. This requires nine players on a team, so 18 players are needed for a varsity squad and a junior varsity squad.

Darrough was unsure this week whether she’ll have 18 or 19 players.

“I like to carry 10 on my varsity,” she said. “If I have the numbers, I’ll carry 10. If I don’t, I’ll just carry the nine.”

Challenge matches will determine the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 singles players and the first through third doubles teams.

“The thing that will be challenging is to figure out the pairs in doubles,” Darrough said. “I think my singles lineup will be a lot easier to establish.”

Preseason practice began with a two-day clinic Aug. 10-11 taught by Riviera Oaks pros Greg and Katrina Failla. The clinic had 14 Bulldog girls the first day and 15 the second day.

“I wanted to start off the season kind of making sure we were more grounded in fundamentals on the court,” Darrough said. “They can sort of help correct themselves.”

Ramona won the Valley League championship in 2012 and shared the 2013 Valley League title with Del Norte.

The 2014 North County Conference realignment moved Del Norte to the Avocado East League and brought Fallbrook from the Avocado West League to the Valley League. Fallbrook posted an 8-0 league record to win the 2014 Valley League championship, while the only blemishes on Ramona’s 6-2 figure were the two losses to the Warriors.

“I am hoping that it will be a little more challenging for them,” Darrough said.