Positives already, more likely to come for Lady Pirate netters

The news and results have been nothing but good thus far for veteran Ottawa Lady Pirates tennis head coach Steve Johnson.

First, sophomore sensation Ella Marvel, who tore her ACL during a basketball game last December, was given clearance to participate prior to the season.

Then last Friday, the Lady Pirates claimed the title of their own campaign-opening Night Light Invite.

Expect the positives to continue this fall out on the courts.

Johnson, now in his 17th year at the helm of the OHS girls program, welcomes back a pair of state qualifiers in senior standout Regan O'Fallon (doubles) and Marvel (singles) — who will team up — among his 17-player roster (five seniors, eight juniors, four sophomores).

"We're bringing back three out of our six competitors from our sectional team and four out of the eight from our conference team," Johnson said, "and, you know, everybody's been playing for several years. We should be solid.

"We'll probably put some of our top players in doubles. We've had really good success the past couple years placing them in doubles. (Ottawa tandems have finished fourth at the Class 1A State Tournament: Ellie Gallagher and Katie McGraw in 2017; Gallagher and O'Fallon in 2018.) We'll see who fits into those singles slots as we go.

"(The girls are) working hard; I like that."

O'Fallon — who's aiming to qualify for state for the third consecutive year with three different partners — and Marvel will form Ottawa's No. 1 doubles team. In their varsity debut together, they won the "A" flight of the Ottawa Night Light Invite.

"I think (Regan and Ella) should, and I expect a really good season from them," Johnson said. "(Regan) even looks like she is playing better than she did at the end of last year. ... (Ella is) moving well, and she's hitting harder than she did last year, and that's without the benefit of having her playing this whole (offseason).

"It's great having (Regan) as a senior leader. (Ella does) all of the things that are big-ticket items for doubles success."

Junior Marta Johnson and senior Emily Walker were doubles regulars last year at Nos. 2 and 3, respectively.

The remainder of the team is seniors Mally Charbonneau, Randi Heth and Bridget Stevenson; juniors Autumn Kunkel, Avery Landers, Savanna Nelson, Bhumika Patel, Mary Riva, Lex Taylor and Tessa Thiry; and sophomores Rebekkah Felty, Sara Meyer and Kyleigh Olszewski.

The standard goals have been set: winning conference and going undefeated in dual meets.

"If you (achieve those), the postseason kind of falls into place," Coach Johnson said.

"Staying focused, picking up on little things and going through the season with confidence (will be the biggest keys to being successful), and I think everybody should be able to do that.

"My expectations are for (the girls) to compete every match."