2017 Faith Lutheran Girls Tennis Capsule

FAITH LUTHERAN

League: Class 4A Sunset

Head coach: Jeff Foley, seventh season

2016 record: 15-4 (10-2 Northwest, second)

Returning letter winners: Nine

Top athletes: Kennedy Barr (So.), Jade Mayweather (Jr.), Summer Stadtlander (Jr.), Kelsie Seigle (Jr.)

Outlook: Graduation hit the Crusaders hard. Nine seniors who combined for 680 career victories and led the team to three state finals and one title have departed.

The cupboard, though, is far from bare.

Nine letter winners return and the Crusaders welcome back Mayweather, who attended Faith Lutheran Middle School before playing at Bishop Gorman two years ago. Mayweather advanced to the Sunset Region quarterfinals in doubles two years ago.

Barr (34-5) and Stadtlander (30-8) both were first-team all-league selections last year.

Foley said he will need “a combination of relatively inexperienced returners and incoming freshmen to step up for the Crusaders to qualify for the postseason for an eighth straight season.”

Foley added has been “impressed with how hard everyone has worked so far and expects the team to get better as the season moves along.”