“Racqueteers split squad, winSpartans are 3-0 after dropping Central Kitsap and Port Townsend. “

"The depth that tennis coach Mike Anderson spoke of before the season was evident on Thursday, as he split his team and still easily defeated both Central Kitsap (6-1) and Port Townsend (5-2).Elliot Beam, undefeated last year in singles play until the state championships, lost his opener to CK's Scott Durday, himself a ranked player, 7-6, 6-3.Elliot's not used to playing outside on slower courts, Anderson said. But this is a good one to build on. And he'll play Durday again later. This is still early in the year. "

“The depth that tennis coach Mike Anderson spoke of before the season was evident on Thursday, as he split his team and still easily defeated both Central Kitsap (6-1) and Port Townsend (5-2).Elliot Beam, undefeated last year in singles play until the state championships, lost his opener to CK’s Scott Durday, himself a ranked player, 7-6, 6-3.Elliot’s not used to playing outside on slower courts, Anderson said. But this is a good one to build on. And he’ll play Durday again later. This is still early in the year.Beam’s teammates had no trouble taking up the slack. Jessica Antilla won the No. 1 girls’ singles 6-3, 6-3. Sam Marshall (6-0, 6-0) and Kristen Carmel (6-0, 6-1) breezed through No. 2 singles. Will Storch and Jonathan Buerkes won boys doubles (6-0, 6-3), Lily Grainger and Sara Suffis won girls doubles (7-5, 6-0), and Ben Deines and Jen Bradshaw won mixed doubles (6-3, 6-2).At Port Townsend, Amanda Allender (6-1, 6-2) and Maggie Fick (6-2, 6-1) easily won their singles matches. Trenton Gibson and Pat Bradshaw (6-1, 6-2), Suzanne Fossum and Tessa Quigley (6-0, 6-0), and Taylor Gibbons and Katie Beck (6-1, 6-0) all their respective doubles matches. In extra matches, freshmen Laura Banos (8-1) and Jacob Pauli and Jacob Sargent (6-2, 6-3) gained victorious varsity experience.With just two courts playable because of rain previously during the day, the Spartan tennis team beat Olympic on Monday 4-1 with two matches called because of darkness.The match of the day was girls’ doubles, Anderson said. It lasted two hours and was a great comeback for Jen Bradshaw and Maggie Fick, playing in their first varsity doubles match. Down one set, they came back to win the second set 6-2 with smart play. They then found themselves down 3-0 in the third set, and came back a second time to claim the set and match 7-5.Marshall won No. 1 boys’ singles 6-2, 6-2 and Antilla won No. 1 girls’ singles 6-3, 6-0. Storch and Anna-Lisa Breiland easily won mixed doubles 6-2, 6-0.The team’s next match is Monday at North Kitsap. “