Talent to buoy Sailors

There’s no shortage of talent returning to the Newport Harbor High

girls tennis team, which took second place in the Sea View League

behind Woodbridge and reached the second round of the CIF Southern

Section Division I playoffs last year.

The Sailors boast six All-Sea View League returners who should

give the team a chance to compete with Woodbridge and Foothill for

the league championship.

Leading the way are all-league returning seniors Brittany

Sturgess, Megan McKay and Carly Adams. Juniors Sasha Dunlap and

Chrissy Schwartz, along with sophomore Alex McIntosh, also return

after all-league campaigns.

Nine players in all, including seniors Melissa Chinn and Brittany

Cluck, along with junior Joe Cosserly, return from last year’s team.

The Sailors should get a boost from Nelly Redeza and Natalie

Small, two freshmen with a lot of potential.

Newport Harbor Coach Fletcher Olson said she doesn’t have a set

starting lineup yet, but she has a lot of talent to choose from.

Last year’s team was known for being full of life. It was an

energetic squad that cheered each other on during matches. Olson

expects the same kind of enthusiasm this year.

“Our returning players, especially our seniors, are a great group

of girls, they are all very team oriented,” Olson said.

Olson, who is 137-35 in nine years as the head coach at Newport

Harbor, expects the Sailors to be in the hunt for the league

championship.

“Our goals are to play solid, work hard and hopefully do well in

league and CIF,” she said. “Woodbridge and Foothill are tough, but I

think we can contend with them.”

Can this team be better than last year’s 13-8 squad?

“Definitely,” Olson said. “They have a great deal of potential.”

SAILORS ROSTER

Brittany Sturgess Sr.

Megan McKay Sr.

Carly Adams Sr.

Melissa Chinn Sr.

Brittany Cluck Sr.

Sasha Dunlap Jr.

Chrissy Schwartz Jr.

Alex McIntosh So.

Joe Cosserly Jr.

Nelly Redeza Fr.

Natalie Small Fr.

Coach: Fletcher Olson (10th year)