The girls? tennis team lived up to expectation on Oct. 22 as they claimed the West Sierra League [WSL] tournament, champions for the 8th year in a row since 1997.

At the tournament, the top singles players and the top two doubles teams from each school were selected to compete for the title.

?I chose Ashley Sherr [?06] to compete at the WSL because I thought that she would best represent the school,? George Freeman, tennis coach, said. ?She is an all-around great player, and I remember her beating the number one girl from Madera High in a match. She is fast and smart, with a wonderful life at home and school.?

Sherr was seeded No. 6 in the Valley in the individual tournament and is the highest ranked player since Whitney Wells, ?97, was seeded No.1 in 1997.

Sherr, as well as Jennifer Beckman, ?07, who ranked No. 2 after Sherr in singles, and Mary Kneefel, ?08 and Jaclyn Blackwell, ?07, in the doubles, competed at the CIF tournament on Oct. 29. For the CIF Central Section Division 5 team play-off story, read the online article ?Tennis looks to finals after defeating Mission Prep in CIF team semi-finals? by The Feather staff on Nov. 2.

Sherr?s teammates agree with Freeman?s selection to sent her to the tournament.

?Ashley is our strongest player,? Kneefel said. ?She is consistent in her matches. She is obviously the best player on our team and has gone far in previous tournaments.?

Sherr has propelled herself, practicing her signature sport while keeping a balanced mind in school. This year was her second time competing at the WSL tournament.

?I started playing tennis the summer of my freshman year,? Sherr said. ?The courts have just always felt natural for me. I am hoping to get a scholarship to Fresno Pacific with tennis.?

Conquering the WSL tournament and making it to the CIF competition has become a near tradition for the tennis team. The expectations on the campus have always been high for the girls.

?The girls are almost expected to win at the WSL tournament, but this is so routing that I do not feel any extra pressure,? Freeman said. ?We have won for eight consecutive years in a row, since 1997, and the other three years, they were runner-up each time.

Coach Freeman was also named as the co-coach of they year alongside Mike Etchegoinberry of Firebaugh and Greg Ruland of Liberty-Madera Ranchos. Etchegoinberry and Ruland led their teams to 11-3 records.

For more information on girls? tennis, email Freeman at [email protected].