By Brannon King / For the FCT

The 2018 tennis season is here, and the Russellville Golden Tigers are looking to build on their recent success and make a return trip to state this year.

On the girls’ side of the court, the ladies have a roster full of experience, even though there is just one senior on the team.  Head coach Charlotte Dollar only has to replace one player from last year’s squad that won section play and advanced to Mobile for state competition.

“We had a really good season last year,” Dollar said. “We won section for the first time in several years, made it to state and had a good showing down there. Everybody is returning except one playe,r and we have several that have moved up from middle school and have joined the team.

“They are showing a lot of promise and are challenging some of our higher players, and that’s always a good thing.”

One of the top returning players is No. 1 Katie Burns. The tenth-grader said she is up for the challenge of taking on the top players from opposing schools and is excited about starting the season.  “I’m looking forward to be able to go back to state this year,” Burns said. “I really want to try hard and get to go back because last year was a lot of fun. All of us girls, we like being around each other, and it’s not just about the competition.”

The lone senior on the team, Rebecca Parrish is also ready to get things going on the court. “I’m excited about my senior year,” Parrish said. “Hopefully we’ll do good and make it to state again.”

The boys’ team will be led by new head coach Brett Voss. He is no stranger to the program because he served last year as an assistant to Dollar.

“Coach Dollar led the way, and I learned a lot from her last year,” Voss said. “She handed it over to me this year, and I’m very eager to get to do it on my own and put my own spin on it.

“It will be a lot of what she taught me last year. She was very patient with me, and without her, I don’t know what I’d be doing right now.”

Unlike the girls, the boys’ team will be trying to gain valuable experience as the season goes along.  The roster includes no seniors or juniors and is instead filled with three sophomores, three freshmen and an eighth-grader.

“Overall, we’re very young and inexperienced,” Voss said.  “We have a lot of room to grow, and they are eager to learn the game of tennis.”

The Golden Tigers will face a tough schedule this season. RHS is a part of the Class 4A-5A Section 8, which includes Brooks, Central, Deshler, Fayette and Wilson.

In addition to those matches, Russellville will hope to get ready for big things later in the season by playing larger schools like Hartselle, Decatur, Muscle Shoals and Florence. These 6A schools are known to have exceptional tennis programs and will help Russellville improve and prepare the Golden Tigers for section play.

2018 Russellville Varsity Girls Tennis Roster

Katie Burns

Rebecca Parrish

Ellyse Strickland

Anna Woods

Emma Claire Bragwell

Destiny Hatton

Kaydee Holland

Kenya Lopez

Ava Oliver

Callie Palmer

Addie Scruggs

Esmeralda Vargas

Roxanna Velez Serna

2018 Russellville Varsity Boys Tennis Roster

Kiah Derrick

Samuel Franklin

Ethan Howard

Anthony Ruiz

Tino Soto

Eduardo Vargas

Joel Vargas