ELLINWOOD — The Ellinwood High School girls tennis team head coach Lyle Stickney has narrowed down the doubles and singles players that will likely be competing at the regional meet in Kiowa, hosted by South Barber.
It’s a good thing, too, since the meet starts on Friday.
“We’ve had some pretty good meets this year,” Stickney said. “We still have some nagging injuries and some illnesses that have kept us from locking it in, but I have a pretty good idea who will be competing.
“The good  thing is our team has so much depth that if we need to, we have someone to fill in for injured players.”
Last season, Ellinwood took fourth at the state meet. Their doubles teams finished in first and fifth at the regional meet and second and ninth at state.
This season, Stickney believes that his Lady Eagles could do as well as third place at state.
“(Wichita) Collegiate and Independent is always one and two, they are the favorite in the tournament,” Stickney said. “The battle will be waged for third place.”
The two girls most likely to represent Ellinwood in singles at the regional meet are Gentry McLeland and Reba Thompson. Stickney said that Thompson injured her right wrist doing a “cheerleading stunt” and may not be able to compete this weekend.
The first doubles team will be Bailey Schartz, who was part of the top finishing doubles team last year for the Lady Eagles, and Michelle Miller. The two have a 15-1 record as a team, Stickney said.
The second doubles team for the regional meet Darrien Beckwith and Kaitlyn Robl.
In order to reach state, each entry for Ellinwood will have to finish in the top six at the regional meet, a feat which, Stickney said, should be accomplishable for the Lady Eagles.
“We should win regionals,” Stickney said. “The one and two doubles teams should finish in the top three at regionals and we should have a good chance at getting multiple entries into state.”