CHAMPIONSHIP RUN IN JEOPARDY; QUARTZ HILL FACES CHALLENGE.

Byline: Rizza Yap Daily News Staff Writer

The loss of three expected returners will leave the highly successful Quartz Hill High School girls' tennis team relatively young this season.

Coach Bill Lenaway welcomes back just four letterwinners and just two seniors to a program that won the Golden League title for the last eight years. He has found that the group's inexperience already is calling for a different type of coaching style.

``I slow down what I do with the kids, try not to give them too much at once,'' said Lenaway, who is entering his 11th season with the Rebels. ``I have to be careful not to frustrate my young players.''

Junior Nicole Williford will head the lineup at the No. 1 singles spot, which she first held as a freshman. By far the most experienced player on the team, Lenaway said he is looking to Williford for leadership.

``Now that she's an upperclassman, she needs to begin to be a leader mentally and spirit wise,'' Lenaway said. ``She's not going to be a rah-rah person. But what I'm hoping she'd do is lead by example.''

Sophomore Patricia Young, who played No. 3 singles last year, is expected to fill the No. 2 slot.

``Last year, I basically turned Patty into a wall,'' Lenaway said. ``She didn't try to overpower anybody, but she hustled. She was going to stay out there as long as she could and let you make the mistakes. Now we'll work on more power, more aggression.''

The two final returners are doubles players Gayle Copeland, a junior, and senior Susie Balachandran.

In 1996, the Rebels went undefeated in league and compiled a 17-2 overall record but lost in the first round of CIF playoffs. Only two members graduated from last year's squad. Of the three would-be returners, one moved away, another is sitting out the season because of a non-tennis related injury, and a third decided to concentrate on a heavy academic load.

``I thought this was going to be a year with more experience,'' Lenaway said. ``But we'll fight through it. This is a very coachable bunch. Nobody has an attitude problem. There's also a nice balance of competitiveness. They don't like to lose, they're not a bunch of wimpies.''

Other Golden League teams:

Lancaster: The Eagles started their program just last year with a group of freshmen and sophomores and ended the season with a 7-3 league record, sharing second place with Palmdale. This time around, coach Stacy Bryant plans to finish just as well or better to earn another trip to the CIF playoffs.

``Our goal this time is to get past the first round,'' Bryant said. ``Last year, when the girls went, their jaws dropped open. They were so young and green.''

Bryant is looking to Nita Reynolds, Stephanie Chang - ``No relation to Michael Chang, unfortunately'' - and daughter Dionne Werthmann to rotate in singles. Sophomore Eyvette Quiroga has moved up from JV and her sister Janay, a freshman, will be competing for a singles spot.

Littlerock: Another second-year team, the Lobos are hoping their five returners will bring more experience and more victories for the program. Three juniors and two seniors are back from last year's team, which collectively averaged a 3.5 GPA, said coach John Derse.

Senior Miranda Lockmiller will take over the No. 1 singles spot, and juniors Sheila Kempenaar and Mandy Martin will play No. 1 doubles.

``They're like Siamese twins, Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dum, whatever,'' Derse said with a laugh. ``They're just inseparable.''

Derse is also looking forward to another season of game-day potlucks.

``The girls love to bring food at all the matches - egg rolls, spaghetti, it doesn't matter,'' he said. ``They just bring their Tupperware, and when they get to their destination, they sit down and have a little bit.

``They eat during the match, too. But it doesn't bother me as long as it doesn't bog them down.''

Highland: Publicity worked for coach Linda Ruiz's two-year-old program. Last year, 18 girls tried out for the team. This season, after extensive promotion around school, 50 girls showed up for try-outs.

It'll be tough competition for a spot on the team, however, considering eight returners are back.

``Those girls have had a whole year to play tennis, and tennis is experience,'' Ruiz said. ``The more matches you play, the better you get. That's why I don't want to get rid of anybody. Because the more you play, well, you never know.''

The Bulldogs were 6-12 in league last year. This season, Ruiz aims to finish in the Golden League's top three. Junior Corina Wexler is expected to hold a singles spot, and Monica Petit will move up from JV.

Palmdale: The Falcons started practice this week with ``what few kids got word, were in town and got cleared,'' said coach Lynn McClung. Four returners, including three juniors and a senior, will bring experience to what McClung expected to be a very young team.

Last season, a 7-3 league record earned Palmdale a second place tie with Lancaster and a trip to the CIF tournament, where they lost in the first-round.

It was their first playoff match since McClung took over the program five years ago.

Antelope Valley: Serving her first year as coach of the varsity squad, Antelope Valley graduate Jenny McNaughton is keeping her goals nice and simple.

``I'd like for the girls to have a good time and for myself to improve as a coach,'' she said.

McNaughton coached the JV team two years prior to this season. After six players graduated from last year's team, she expects three seniors to return this season. Overall, the Antelopes will be a very young but motivated team.

``They like to win, but bottom line, they're there to have a good time,'' McNaughton said.

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Photo

Photo: Nicole Williford is Quartz Hill's top player.

Jeff Goldwater/Daily News