-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla St. Edmond Girls tennis Returning Letterwinners are, left to right, Katie Flaherty, Payton Bradley, Emma Barwin, Cambree Lunn Missing: Anna Kolacia and Lauren Gibb

Shawn Neverman enters the spring with high expectations for his St. Edmond girls tennis program.

With six returning letterwinners and a strong group of newcomers, Neverman is looking forward to putting together a lineup that can really make an impact on the courts.

St. Edmond has seniors Katie Flaherty and Anna Kolacia, junior Emma Barwin and sophomores Lauren Gibb, Payton Bradley and Cambree Lunn all back with varsity experience. They add in freshman Manuela Rodriguez, who has played around the country on the youth circuit, picking up several top finishes.

“I am super excited with the potential of this team,” Neverman said. “While we are still a very young team, there is lots of potential in the lower grades with lots of varsity experience in other sports by the girls.”

Sophomores Hadley Oswald, Delaney O’Connor and Maddy Cripe, along with ninth-graders Ava Andrew, Ava Underberg, Sophia Dutcher, Lucy Midtling and Ella Mundie round out the roster. Freshman Ella Passow will serve as the team manager.

“Our schedule is going to really get us ready for the postseason,” Neverman said. “Plus, we get many of the meets at home, which I know the girls are excited about.”

Along with duals against Webster City, Storm Lake, Clear Lake, Iowa Falls-Alden, South Hardin, Carroll Kuemper, Hampton-Dumont/CAL and Grundy Center, the Gaels will host the North Central Conference Invitational at Dodger Courts on May 3.

Class 1A individual regionals are scheduled for May 10 with team regionals on May 13.

Roster

Seniors — Katie Flaherty, Anna Kolacia.

Junior — Emma Barwin.

Sophomores — Lauren Gibb, Payton Bradley, Cambree Lunn, Hadley Oswald, Delaney O’Connor, Maddy Cripe.

Freshmen — Manuela Rodriguez, Ava Andrew, Ava Underberg, Sophia Dutcher, Lucy Midtling, Ella Mundie, Ella Passow.

Schedule

March 28 — Webster City.

April 3 — Storm Lake; 11 — at Clear Lake; 18 — Iowa Falls-Alden; 21 — South Hardin; 24 — at Carroll Kuemper; 25 — at Hampton-Dumont/CAL; 28 — Grundy Center.

May 3 — host NCC; 10 — individual regionals; 13 — team regionals.